Words From The Stars, The Heart of a Warrior
by Starlight Warrior 1092
Summary: Follow Sandpaw's life! From her moments as a kit, to becoming an apprentice, and to following her dreams! K plus for some blood/fighting. Please enjoy!
1. ALLEGIANCES and sneak peak

_I have decided to start a new Warriors story! Yay! And I know that **I Am The OverLord** has the same list of cats, we are using the same clan. Since we are sisters, we can use the same clan. Though our stories will be **different**, I hope. Please review if you want the first chapter to come up!_  
_This story will be told from Sandkit's point of view, while my sister's story will be told from Moonkit's point of view._  
_The same things will not happen in both of our stories, and yes, there will be a prophecy in mine!_  
_So enjoy, and **review please**!_

_**Oh, and this isn't a list. Look, it's many sentances! (Loophole! Ha ha! There's allso the prologue at the end :3)**_

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_These are the:_ Cats of SandClan!

_Their leader is:_ Acornstar, who is a brown tabby tomcat with green eyes.

_Their deputy is:_ Wolfcall, who is a gray tabby tomcat with blue eyes.

His apprentice is named Firepaw.

_The medicine cat is:_ Fallingheart, who is a pale ginger she cat with icy blue eyes.

_There are many warriors, and they have a variety of names._

Burningdawn, who is a ginger she cat with blue eyes.

Brownfang, who is a brown she cat with amber eyes.

Her apprentice is named Dustpaw.

Yellowfur, who is a gray tomcat with yellow eyes.

Bluestripe, who is a blue gray she cat with blue eyes.

Grayflower, who is a gray she cat with ice blue eyes.

Her apprentice is named Dawnpaw.

Fishleap, who is a light brown tabby tomcat with blue eyes.

Mudheart, who is a dark brown tom with dark amber eyes.

Flamestorm, who is a ginger tom with yellow eyes.

Snowflame, who is a ginger and white tom with green eyes.

Echopoppy, who is a silvery gray she cat with light blue eyes.

Her apprentice is named Ivypaw.

Frostwhisker, who is a snow white she cat with green eyes.

Whisperingfawn, who is a light brown she cat with blue eyes.

Her apprentice is named Jaypaw.

Lionfoot, who is a golden tom with amber eyes.

Tigerfire, who is a dark tabby tom with blue eyes.

Leopardleap, who is a black and gray she cat with amber eyes.

Rabbitwhisker, who is a light brown tabby she cat with amber eyes.

Minttail, who is a calico she cat with amber eyes.

Her apprentice is named Skypaw.

Brightdream, who is a ginger and white she cat with gray eyes.

Larkflight, who is a black tabby she cat with blue eyes.

Furzelight, who is a gray tabby she cat with ice blue eyes.

Ferndapple, who is a gray and white she cat with amber eyes.

Her apprentice is named Cloudpaw.

Fogstep, who is a pale grayish white tom with green eyes.

Spidershade, who is a black and white tom with blue eyes.

Ferretleg, who is a brown and white tom with green eyes.

Shortear, who is a brown tabby tom with a short ear with green eyes.

His apprentice is named Driftpaw.

Illuminatedpath, who is a light gray white, almost silver she cat with glowing blue eyes.

Aspenstorm, who is a brown and tan she cat with blue eyes.

_The queens are:_ Morningleaf, who is a carmel brown she cat with dark amber eyes, mother of Mudheart's kits Thistlekit (dark tabby tom), Sandkit (golden she cat with long furred tail) and Moonkit (silver she cat).

Hazelflower, who is alight brown tabby she cat with amber eyes, mother of Fishleap's kits Thornkit (light brown tom), Splashkit (light brown tabby tom), Ravenkit (jet black tom), Mothkit (light gray she cat) and Nightkit (jet black she cat).

Silversong, who is a silver she cat with blue eyes, mother of Flamestorm's kits Cherrykit (light ginger she cat), Maplekit (silver she cat) and Birchkit (light brown tabby tom).

Gingerflame, who is a light ginger she cat with orange eyes, mother of Lionfoot's kits Flarekit (light ginger tom), Flashkit (dark ginger tom) and Lightningkit (pale ginger tom)

Wetwing, who is a gray she cat with blue eyes, mother of Spidershade's kits Swiftkit (black and white tom) and Berrykit (cream tom).

Squirrelpad, who is a tortiseshell she cat with green eyes, mother of Snowflame's kits Sweetkit (calico she cat), Specklekit (calico she cat), Poppykit (tortie she cat) and Icekit (white she cat).

_The apprentices are:_ Firepaw, who is a ginger tom with bright blue eyes.

Dustpaw, who is a dusty brown tom with blue eyes.

Ivypaw, who is a silver she cat with green eyes.

Jaypaw, who is a gray she cat with amber eyes.

Cloudpaw, who is a white she cat with ice blue eyes.

Dawnpaw, who is atortie she cat with green eyes.

Skypaw, who is a gray and white tom with gray eyes.

Driftpaw, who is a black tom with orange eyes.

_The elders are:_ Whiteface, who is a white tom with blue.

Deafleaf, who is a deaf gray and white she cat with green eyes, oldest cat in the clan.

Brairsong, who is a dusty brown she cat with amber eyes.

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_Prolouge_

* * *

A small golden kitten opened her eyes. She looked around. _Where am I?_ She found herself surrounded by a forest of darkness. Everywhere she looked, the dark pines rose up around her, taking her breath away in fear. She had learned about this place in a tale that her mother had told her. The wind was silent. No stars shined in the sky, and the moon had disapeared too. Two cats prowled out of the shadows.

"Two are gone, yet one remains," The first cat hissed. The cats pelt was hidden by darkness, but its green eyes glowed.

"There it is!" The second cat yowled, racing at the golden kit.

The first cat pinned the kitten down the the ground. The second cat stared down at the small golden kitten.

"It's almost over," The second cat meowed, his voice trembling with fear and excietment.

"Yes, then they won't _dare_ hurt us anymore," The first cat agreed.

The small golden kitten looked from one cat to the other. She opened her mouth, trying to tell them that she didn't know what was going on, but no sound came from her mouth except for a faint whimper. The two cats suddenly hissed, supprised, as fire circled the edges of the clearing that they were in.

"Do it _now!_" The first cat hissed.

The second cat stared down at the kitten with half sorry blue eyes. The kitten's eyes widened as the cat lifted its paw and extended its claws. Suddenly, as fast as lightning, the cat's claws came ripping down on the kitten's throat and neck. She shreiked and the fire around the clearing grew so high, that it blocked out most of the sky. The kitten stared up at the darkness of the sky, fire swirling around its edges. _I don't want to die! I want to become a warrior! Please StarClan, don't let me die here!_ Suddenly, a pair of amber eyes appeared in the sky, looking down upon the dying kitten happily, as if it _enjoyed_ the kitten's pain. As the kitten drew her last breath, she heard a voice.

Now you know how I feel . . .

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_Please** review** and look for chapter one! And if you read my other author's note, you would know who the little golden kit is! And if you read the author's note, you will know why I am now telling you to check our** I Am The OverLord's** story. And tell me if you liked the prolague! Review! XD_


	2. The Begining

**So, I got some reviews so I wanted to post the first chapter. No, the main cat didn't die! It was just . . . read and find out! I would love to hear from you guys, so please review! And check out OverLord's too! But please, review on mine too!**

**I don't own Warriors. I think that I forgot that do that on the first chapter thingy. Yeah, so enjoy please!**

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Sandkit's eyes flashed open. Pain ripped through her tiny, golden pelted body. She looked wildly around, looking for the cats that had tried to kill her. She found that she was surrounded by cats. _Not the Dark Forest, but not StarClan. Where am I?_ Sandkit sighed happily. She was back in the nursery. _It was just a dream . . ._ Sandkit's mother, Morningleaf, licked Sandkit between the ears.

"How's my little warrior doing?" Morningleaf meowed.

"I-I . . . I had a n-nightmare," Sandkit mewed, feeling the pain start to ebb away. "I-I was in th-the Dark Forest, a-and these cats came out of nowhere."

"What did they look like?" Morningleaf asked.

"I-I don't know," Sandkit mewed. "They held me down. I couldn't scream, I couldn't talk, and so I laid there, staring up at them. Then one of them slashed its claws . . . across my throat." Sandkit shuddered. "It _hurt_, mommy, it hurt like _death_. A-and then I heard someone say "Now you know how _I_ feel . . ." and then . . . I woke up."

"Who said that?" Morningleaf asked.

"I-it looked like a kit, like me, with a pelt as black as the night sky and glowing amber eyes," Sandkit answered.

"Molekit," Morningleaf growled.

"Molekit?" Sandkit meowed.

"Molekit was once part of SandClan. It is said that he was the first kit of the first leader, Sand. He was evil, and he was killed as a kit. My brother told me about his dream when we were kits. Molekit haunts the nursery's kits, the ones who show great promise to becoming a warrior. Those who may make a great _leader_ one day," Morningleaf explained.

"That's why Acornstar's the leader!" Sandkit squeaked.

Morningleaf smiled. Sandkit pounced on her mother's caramel colored tail.

"I'm going to be the greatest warrior _ever!_"

"Thornstar, you need to be punished for trespassing on SandClan's territory!" Sandkit hissed.

"Never!" Thornkit hissed. "Soon, ThornClan will control the whole _forest!_ You will never be able to stop us! ThornClan, _attack!_"

"Thornstar, you'll pay for the day that you crossed our borders!" Sandkit hissed, leaping onto Thornkit.

"Attack!" Sandkit screeched.

Moonkit, Nightkit, Mothkit, Ravenkit, Cherrykit, Maplekit, Birchkit, Sweetkit and Specklekit were all playing part of SandClan. Thistlekit, Splashkit, Flarekit, Flashkit, Lightningkit, Swiftkit, Berrykit, Poppykit and Icekit were all playing part of ThornClan. ThornClan had crossed SandClan's borders and stolen prey, so SandClan was getting back at them.

Sandkit squeaked as Thornkit threw her off to the side. She then pounced on Splashkit.

"You take your warriors back to your _own_ territory, Splashfang!" Sandkit play hissed.

"Never!" Splashkit spat.

Sandkit pawed him to the ground and nipped at his leg. He raced over to another part of the battle, and Sandkit searched for Thornkit. Thornkit was wrestling with Ravenkit, hissing, "You're a weakling, Ravenfire! I can beat you single pawed!" That seemed to make Ravenkit mad, even though it was just a game. Ravenkit kicked Thornkit backwards and then pounced on him. His claws came out, and scratched Thornkit's belly. Ravenkit had trouble controlling his temper and sometimes he got _violent_.

"Ravenkit _stop!_ You're hurting me!" Thornkit wailed in pain.

"Sorry!" Ravenkit squeaked, jumping away from his older brother. "I'm so sorry!"

Hazelflower raced over to Thornkit and dragged him away to the medicine cat's den.

"Playtime's over," Wetwing meowed, pulling Swiftkit and Berrykit over to her nest.

"Come on," Morningleaf meowed. Thistlekit complained as Morningleaf dragged him over to her nest. Moonkit and Sandkit followed.

"Sandkit," Moonkit meowed quietly. "Will you help me some with those fighting moves that Mudheart was teaching us earlier? I just can't get it right . . ."

"Sure!" Sandkit meowed. "Just not right now. Everyone needs a little . . . _time_ . . . before play fighting again. Once Thornkit comes back, okay? I mean, I don't _care_ when he comes back, I just don't think anyone would want any fighting again right now."

"I understand," Moonkit meowed as she padded into Morningleaf's nest.

"Don't worry, I'll help you soon," Sandkit meowed. "Morningleaf, can I go get some fresh kill? I'll bring back as much as I can, for everyone!"

"Sure," Morningleaf meowed. "How about everyone goes?"

"Yes!" Nightkit squeaked.

All of the kits raced off towards the fresh kill pile. Sandkit grabbed a mouse, and tried to carry a thrush for Morningleaf. Moonkit, after grabbing a shrew for herself, helped her golden pelted sister. Sandkit accepted the help from her silver pelted sister. They were very soon followed by the other kits. Sandkit gave the thrush to her mother with Moonkit. Sandkit then padded over to her best friend, Nightkit, and ate her mouse with her night black pelted friend.

"Do you think that Thornkit will be okay?" Nightkit mewed.

"He'll be fine, the stupid furball! He _knows_ that Ravenkit has problems with his anger! Why did he have to be so mean? I mean, a _weakling?_ Ravenkit is _not_ a weakling!" Sandkit meowed.

"Do you have a crush on my _brother?_" Nightkit teased.

"No!" Sandkit meowed quickly. _I do _not_ have a crush on Ravenkit! He's just . . . a friend. That's all I feel for him. He's just . . . my best friend's brother._

"_Okay,_" Nightkit mewed, nibbling on her vole.

"Humph!" Sandkit grumbled, eating her mouse fiercely.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the SkyStone for a clan meeting!" Acornstar called.

_I wonder what that could be for._ Sandkit padded out of the nursery. Swiftkit and Berrykit were already out there. They were sitting beneath the massive boulder. _Did they get in trouble? How could they have gotten in _that_ much trouble in so little time?_ Sandkit then noticed the glow of pride in Wetwing's eyes and in Spidershade's eyes. _They can't be that proud if they were in trouble!_ Sandkit looked around. Furzelight and Tigerfire also had eyes that were glowing with pride. _They're becoming apprentices!_ Sandkit realized that as Acornstar started.

"I, Acornstar, call upon my warrior ancestor's to look down upon these kits. Berrykit, Swiftkit, step forward. From this day on, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Berrypaw. Tigerfire, you are a brave and loyal warrior, and it is time that you had an apprentice. Swiftkit, from now on you will be known as Swiftpaw. Furzelight, you mentored Grayflower well, and I know you will do the same with Swiftpaw. Tigerfire, don't be afraid to turn to Furzelight for help anytime."

Berrypaw touched noses with Tigerfire and Swiftpaw did the same with Furzelight.

"Berrypaw! Swiftpaw! Berrypaw! Swiftpaw!" The clan called to the new apprentices, Sandkit trying to call the loudest.

Suddenly, before any cat could move, tons of cats burst into the clearing. "RavenClan will take this land, just you wait!" Cats flooded in and Sandkit barely had time to blink as she was pushed to the nursery.

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**Special thanks to Coqui's Song and xx-Ryou's Dancer-xx for helping me be able to publish this story! You guys are amazing!**

**Please, people, review.**

**Can I have three reviews please? Pretty please?**

**Thank you! XD**


	3. The Greatest Warrior Ever!

**Well, I got three reviews, so I wanted to post the next chapter! Mind you, these chapters won't _all_ be coming up so fast! Lucky for you, I already had this written! So, has anyone checked out OverLord's version of this? Yes? Good job. No? You don't have to if you don't want to, but it is good.**

**I do not own warriors, I only own my clan and cats! Please do not copy my idea, unless you are I Am The OverLord, who is using the same cats but not the same point of veiw or the same storyline! Thanks and enjoy!**

* * *

Morningleaf grabbed Sandkit and pulled her into the nursery.

"What's happening?" Moonkit asked her mother.

"Those _crow food eaters_ of RavenClan are attacking! Everyone, stay in here!" Morningleaf hissed. Morningleaf then went and helped Wetwing, Gingerflame, Hazelflower, Silversong and Squirrelpad fight off cats at the entrance.

"Everyone, come this way!" Icekit, with her fur fluffed up until she looked double her size, whispered to the other seventeen kittens. She led them to the back of the nursery to where there was what looked like a tunnel, big enough for maybe kittens. It was hidden behind a rock.

"This is _brilliant!_" Flashkit meowed. Icekit blushed. Sandkit could tell that she had a crush on the handsome ginger tom.

"E-everyone, hurry!" Icekit meowed.

All of the kittens rushed into the small tunnel, squeezing up together to make more room. Sandkit was squashed, pushed right up against Moonkit. She was worried that she might crush her younger sister.

"Thistlekit, get in here _now!_" Specklekit hissed. She liked the tom, and she didn't want him hurt.

"No, I want to watch the battle!" Thistlekit hissed. He raced away towards the entrance. "Thistlekit!" Moonkit squeaked after him. Thistlekit didn't turn around.

"Everyone, stay here!" Splashkit meowed. "We _can't_ let them find us!"

The fighting continued for a little while longer. Morningleaf brought Thistlekit back to the other kits. Once the battle was over, all of the queens came back into the nursery. Gingerflame looked around frantically for her kits.

"Flashkit! Flarekit! Lightningkit!" Gingerflame called.

"Out, out, out!" Flashkit called, pushing the rock away and all of the kits came tumbling out on top of him. "Oof!"

"My kits!" Gingerflame scooped up her three kits.

Hazelflower grabbed her kits, licking each one of them clean. Squirrelpad herded her kits over to her nest. Silversong grabbed her kits and cleaned them. Morningleaf brought her kits over to her nest.

"Tell me about the fight!" Thistlekit demanded.

"Battle's aren't fun, Thistlekit! Cats get hurt, some even _die!_" Morningleaf meowed harshly.

"Humph!" Thistlekit growled.

Hazelflower leaped from her nest. "Thornkit!" She yowled as she raced from the den. Everyone sat in silence until she returned, carrying the brown tomcat.

"Does the medicine cat take care of _all_ of the injured cats?" Moonkit asked.

"Yes," Morningleaf replied. "Unless she has an apprentice. But right now, Fallingheart doesn't have an apprentice."

"Oh, okay!" Moonkit squeaked, watching the medicine cat healing the other cats. While Morningleaf wasn't looking, Moonkit raced off to help Fallingheart.

"Thornkit, from this day on until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Thornpaw. Larkflight, you shall mentor young Thornpaw. Teach him well."

"Thornpaw! Splashpaw! Ravenpaw! Mothpaw! Nightpaw! Thornpaw! Splashpaw! Ravenpaw! Mothpaw! Nightpaw!" Sandkit tried to call the loudest for her best friend, Nightpaw. _I'll be with her, in the apprentices den, in less than half a moon! Then I'll be the best warrior ever!_ Sandkit caught Thornpaw watching her, his eyes glowing. _Smug furball! Just wait until I become an apprentice!_

"Also, Cloudpaw, Dawnpaw and Jaypaw, please step forward." Acornstar called.

The three came forward, thinking that they had done something wrong.

"Whisperingfawn, is Jaypaw ready to become a warrior?"

_A warrior! That's so cool!_

"Yes, she is ready," Whisperingfawn meowed proudly.

"Grayflower, is Dawnpaw ready to become a warrior?"

"Yes, she is ready," Grayflower meowed proudly.

"And Ferndapple? Is Cloudpaw ready to become a warrior?"

"Cloudpaw was _born_ ready, Acornstar," Ferndapple said proudly.

Acornstar smiled. "Do you three promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of you life?"

""I do," Jaypaw meowed.

"I do," Dawnpaw meowed.

"I do!" Cloudpaw called, bursting with excitement.

"The by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names." Acornstar paused, looking around his clan proudly. "Jaypaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Jayflower. StarClan honors you courage and quick thinking, and we welcome you as a full member of SandClan."

Jayflower respectively licked her leader's shoulder.

The same happened with Dawnpaw, who became Dawnleaf, and with Cloudpaw, who became Cloudstorm.

"Jayflower! Cloudstorm! Dawnleaf! Jayflower! Cloudstorm! Dawnleaf! Jayflower! Cloudstorm! Dawnleaf!"

Morningleaf led her kits back to the nursery with the other queens.

"Congratulations!" Sandkit called after the new warriors and the new apprentices, making Morningleaf purr.

"Don't worry, my little warrior, you'll be an apprentice soon," Morningleaf meowed.

"I know!" Sandkit squeaked. "I can't _wait!_ I'll be the best warrior ever, I'll make you proud!" Sandkit meowed.

"Sandkit!" Moonkit meowed.

"Coming!" Sandkit meowed, racing off towards her sister.

"Sandkit, guess what?" Moonkit squealed. Then, without waiting for an answer, she meowed, "I'm going to be a medicine cat!"

Sandkit was confused. "Why would you _want_ to be a medicine cat?"

"_Because_," Moonkit meowed fiercely, "Medicine cats are amazing! They can heal cats when they're sick, or wounded, and they're respected by everyone!"

"And they can't fall in love, have kits, fight, hunt, or be a _warrior!_" Sandkit meowed.

"Not _everyone_ wants to become a warrior!" Moonkit hissed.

"Humph!" Sandkit stalked over to the back of the den.

"Thistlekit!" Morningleaf scolded. "You _can't_ go into the warrior's den!"

"Why _not?_" Thistlekit hissed.

"Because you _can't!_ You aren't _old_ enough to go into the warrior's den!" Morningleaf hissed.

_This is my chance!_ "Morningleaf, I'm going to go and play in the clearing!"

Morningleaf didn't answer, she only continued scolding Thistlekit.

"I'm taking your silence as a yes!" Sandkit called. Morningleaf still didn't hear.

Sandkit raced out into the clearing and over to the bramble wall that surrounded the camp. She slipped out of a little, tiny hole in the wall. She popped out on the other side of camp. Sandkit gasped, the outside would was _huge!_ She raced through the forest and came across a tree, not too big, not too small. She dug her claws into it and pulled herself up onto the first branch.

Once Sandkit got to the top branch, she looked around, amazed. Everything was so _huge_, so unlike the clan's nursery and camp. It seemed so _tiny_ compared to the forest. She forgot that Morningleaf would probably be looking for her. So she stayed there for a while, feeling the wind in her fur. Suddenly, a thought came to mind. _Morningleaf will be looking for me by now!_ Sandkit carefully climbed down the tree and raced as fast as she could back to camp. She popped back into camp through her little hole in the wall. She quickly grabbed a leaf and acted like she had been playing with it.

"Sandkit! There you are!" Morningleaf called. "It's time for bed!"

"Coming!" Sandkit yawned as she followed her mother back over to the nursery.

_I'm going to be the greatest warrior __ever . . ._

**I'm sure you are, Sandkit. Sandkit will _not_ be a mary sue, so be glad! But she _will_ try her best to be her best! Heh heh, sort of like me. I think that in the next chapter or two, they'll be apprentices. Is that okay with everyone?**

**Please leave all comments, just no unnessasary flames and or cuss words. I am being cautious, someone has flamed and cussed at me before.**

**Until next time . . . . can I have another three reviews please? Maybe even four, if you liked the chapter? Please?**

**Thanks! See you soon! (hopefully!) XD**


	4. StarClan's Light

**Okay, well . . . I only got one review. But, you know, i feel happy to have internet again, and I have reviews . . . so I wanted to post the next chapter. Remember, people, you can always check out OverLord's story too! So, here's the next chapter! And guess what? * SPOILER ALERT * This chapter has a prochecy in it! Sort of, prochecy _ish_.**

**I do not own Warriors! I only own my story idea and cats! XD**

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"From now until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Sandpaw. Illumanatedpath, you shall mentor young Sandpaw."

"Sandpaw! Thistlepaw! Moonpaw! Sandpaw! Thistlepaw! Moonpaw!" The clan called.

Sandpaw felt like she was bursting with excitement. She was an apprentice! It had been a little over three quarters of a moon since she had escaped camp for a little while. _This is the first step to becoming a great warrior!_ Sandpaw touched noses with Illumanatedpath.

"Come, Sandpaw," Illumanatedpath meowed. "Let's show you the territory."

"Coming!" Sandpaw said happily.

Illumanatedpath padded out of the camp with Sandpaw following close behind. Ferretleg was following Illumanatedpath and Sandpaw, with his new apprentice Thistlepaw.

"Are we at the border yet?" Thistlepaw complained.

"Quiet! They'll _tell_ us when we get there!" Sandpaw whispered.

"Shut up you _ugly lump of fur!_" Thistlepaw hissed.

"No, you shut up!" Sandpaw hissed. Sandpaw was mad. She _hated_ it when someone called her ugly. "Now I know why likes me better than you, _fox dung!_ It's because you have such a _terrible_ personality! Now I know why she thinks that _I'll_ make a great warrior, and why she _never_ compliments _you!_"

"You _mouse brain!_ Thistlepaw hissed. He sprang at Sandpaw, his claws out.

Illumanatedpath jumped in the way, knocking Thistlepaw to the ground. Ferretleg pounced on Thistlepaw as he tried to throw Illumanatedpath off.

"What are you _doing?_" Ferretleg hissed. "You _never_ attack one of your clan!"

"Sandpaw, apologize!" Illumanatedpath hissed.

"You too Thistlepaw!" Ferretleg hissed.

"No!" Sandpaw hissed.

"I'll never apologize to that _ugly, ugly piece of fox dung!_" Thistlepaw hissed.

Sandpaw turned and raced away from the three cats. _Why am I having such a bad first day? I bet Nightpaw didn't have to go through this on her first day! Why does he have to be _my _brother? He's a terrible brother, making fun of me, calling me names, and now he could've really hurt me!_ Sandpaw jumped at a tree that her mother had told her was called the "Ancient Maple". She clawed her way up the trunk and got onto a really high branch.

Sandpaw felt the wind blowing through her fur. _Maybe I was a little mean to Thistlepaw. But I _can't_ apologize! He'll se that as a sign of weakness and then try to hurt me in another way! I can't afford to be weak now!_

"Sandpaw? Will you please come down?" Illumanatedpath called up to her apprentice.

Sandpaw sighed. She climbed out of the tree and jumped down beside her mentor.

"I know what you're going to say, that I shouldn't have been so mean to Thistlepaw. But if I _don't_ try to protect myself, then I'll fall prey to him!" Sandpaw meowed.

"I understand," Illumanatedpath meowed quietly.

"Really?" Sandpaw was surprised.

"He's been mean to you a lot, right?" Illumanatedpath meowed. Sandpaw nodded. "So you are always trying to protect yourself, to be strong?" Sandpaw nodded again. "If I had a brother or sister like that, I would probably feel the same way. But Sandpaw, you _can't_ let your anger control you. He _wants_ a reaction, don't give him one. Flick your ears and pretend that you didn't hear. You'll have a lot keeping you busy when you're in the apprentices den."

"I know," Sandpaw meowed. "Can we look at the borders now?"

"Sure," Illumanatedpath purred.

Sandpaw followed Illumanatedpath around, learning the borders. CliffClan, the hunters of the rock, RavenClan, the clan of darkness, StormClan, the clans who doesn't care if they get wet and GoldenClan, the divided clan. CliffClan smelled like . . . mountains. RavenClan smelled like . . . pines and evil. StormClan smelled like . . . rivers. And GoldenClan smelled like . . . the open hills and fields.

Sandpaw plopped back down into her nest. Her paws felt like they were falling off. Nightpaw was curled up beside her.

"So, how was your first day as an apprentice?" Nightpaw yawned.

"Good, all except for a fight with Thistlepaw," Sandpaw meowed.

"Hey, there's a gathering tomorrow. Do you think that you might be able to come?" Nightpaw asked.

"I _hope_ so!" Sandpaw meowed.

"Don't worry, you will sometime," Nightpaw meowed. She put her head down on her paws. "Maybe we'll go together."

"Yeah. I'd like that," Sandpaw meowed. Sleep crashed over Sandpaw as fast as a claw could kill a cat.

Sandpaw looked around. She was surrounded by a forest, but it wasn't SandClan's territory. "Hello?" No answer came from the forest except for the sound of crickets. Sandpaw padded around. It made her remember her dream, the one with _Molekit_. Except . . . this place was brighter and it had a moon. Sandpaw quickly found some other cats. She hid in the bushes.

"Are you sure? Does she know?" _Know? Know what? This sounds interesting!_

"Are you sure that she is even the _one_ that we're _looking_ for!" _I wonder who that could be . . ._

"Yes! You know as well as I do, Shadeheart, that this cat will be the one, the one that saves the clan!" _The one that saves the clan? From what?_

"You think that you know _everything_, don't you Silverwhisker?" Shadeheart hissed.

"No, but you know that she _is_ the one!" Silverwhisker hissed back.

Sandpaw watched the two cats argue. _Do they have _stars_ in their fur? Am I in StarClan? Am I dead?_

"E-excuse me, where am I?" Sandpaw meowed.

The two cats whipped around. "What are you doing here?" Shadeheart spat.

"I woke up here!" Sandpaw spat. "I don't know _how_, I just did!"

"Shadeheart, go away," Silverwhisker meowed. Shadeheart almost protested, but then he left.

"Am I in StarClan?" Sandpaw asked.

"Yes, young Sandpaw. But you can't stay here, you _have_ to go back," Silverwhisker meowed.

"Why? Isn't that _my_ choice?" Sandpaw meowed. "What if I want to stay here?"

"You _want_ to be dead?" Silverwhisker spat.

"No, but I don't want to _ever_ see Thistlepaw ever again!" Sandpaw meowed.

"You will have to, Sandpaw, he's your _brother_. You will argue with him many times, but he still loves you, and you still have to love him," Silverwhisker meowed.

"Humph!" Sandpaw meowed. "I don't _have_ to!"

Silverwhisker sighed. "It's time for you to go back."

"Okay, just one thing. What were you and Shadeheart talking about, Silverwhisker?" Sandpaw meowed.

"Nothing!" Silverwhisker meowed quickly. "Nothing important _now_. Time to go home."

Sandpaw woke up. Sunlight flickered through the ferns. _Humph! I wanted to know what they were talking about! Maybe I can talk to Moonpaw about it, she _is_ a medicine cat . . ._ Sandpaw padded over to the medicine cat's den.

"Moonpaw!" She called in quietly. "Moonpaw!"

"I'm coming!" A soft hiss came from the den.

Moonpaw appeared a moment later. "What is it? I was sleeping!"

Sandpaw purred. Moonpaw growled at her. Sandpaw laughed. "Okay, okay, I'm _sorry_ for waking you up, but I have to tell you about my dream!"

"You woke me up because of a dream. A. Freaking. Dream!" Moonpaw hissed.

"I was in StarClan territory," Sandpaw went on, ignoring Moonpaw's hiss. "And I ran into two cats, Shadeheart and Silverwhisker. They were talking about a cat saving the clan! Who do you think they were talking about?"

"This is . . . unusual," Moonpaw meowed. "Why didn't they tell Fallingheart? Maybe it was just a dream, Sandpaw."

"No!" Sandpaw meowed. "I'm telling the truth! It was _real!_"

Moonpaw headed back into the medicine cat's den, leaving Sandpaw sitting alone in the early morning air, clawing the ground. _I'm not lying!_

_Sandpaw . . ._ Sandpaw looked around, wondering where the voice had come from. _Sandpaw, keep this a secret._

_When times are hardest, and the Acorn shall fall from its home in the tree. The golden light of the day warms the hearts of the cats, and protects them through their lives. Evil can be found in the darkness of the Raven's wing and love can be found, even in the sharpest of the thorns. The darkness of the night calms and soothes the daylight, matching its light with the pure light of darkness. Trust it, and save the clan, StarClan's light._

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**Hey look! I think I got indents in this! Or, at least, they're here while I type this!**

**Did you like the chapter? _Did you?_**

**Well, if you _did_ or if you _didn't_, please review! No flames please, but c****onstructive criticism is always welcome! And ideas.**

**Can I have three reviews? _PLEASE?_**

**Thank you people, my loyal reviewers! XD**


	5. Competitions and Confessions

**Well, i got my three reviews! So, I wanted to update! And since I got my math, history, spanish and language arts homework done (I have too much!) I was able to do some typing, and I got . . . . this! I hope you enjoy it! and thank you to everyone who _did_ review! You guys are amazing!**

**I do not own Warriors. But it would be really cool if I did, right? Of _course!_**

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StarClan's light? _What does that mean?_ Sandpaw jumped at the thrush that she was hunting, barely catching its wing.

"Almost!" Thornpaw yowled to her as she bit down on its neck.

"But I _caught_ it!" Sandpaw protested to the young tom.

"You _almost_ missed your prey, landed in a bramble, and would've had to spend _many_ sunrises in the medicine cat's den!" Thornpaw laughed.

Sandpaw hissed under her breath. "Let's make this more _interesting._ First to catch the most prey wins. We go until sundown. The one with the most prey gets to order the other one around for the next day, the whole time our mentors aren't ordering us around," Sandpaw growled.

"Does _that_ count?" Thornpaw flicked his tail to Sandpaw's thrush.

"Yes, because I'm younger, I should get a head start," Sandpaw meowed.

"No way!" Thornpaw meowed. "Let someone else, like . . . Thistlepaw bring that back to camp. No head starts, it _has_ to be fair."

"Fine," Sandpaw growled. "I'll get this _later_, _after_ our competition."

"Fine, then let's start!" Thornpaw yowled.

Sandpaw raced off into the bushes. _I will show him who will be the better warrior! I'll feed the clan so much; they'll seem as fat as kittypets!_ Sandpaw quickly caught another thrush. She buried it. She padded over to a tree, crouching and tackling a mouse and biting its throat. Sandpaw buried the mouse near her thrush.

By sunset, Sandpaw was struggling home under the weight of her fresh kill. Her mouth was crammed with six mice, all hanging by their tails. A thrush, blackbird, dove and rabbit were draped across her back. A shrew sat in her head as Sandpaw was trying to bring it all back.

"You're back!" Thornpaw called. "Look what I have!"

_I will beat him, I will!_ Sandpaw padded over. Thornpaw almost had a laugh attack when he saw the prey draped across her. Sandpaw growled.

"I have," Thornpaw meowed smugly, "A rabbit, three mice, four shrews, a thrush and two squirrels. Try to beat that!"

"I have," Sandpaw meowed, adding it up in her head. _He has ten things. Yes . . ._ "I have six mice, a rabbit, a thrush, a blackbird, a dove and a shrew. Beat _that!_"

Thornpaw added it up in his head. "I have ten things . . . and you have . . . _eleven_ things!" Thornpaw meowed. "What? That's not possible!"

"Oh, it's possible all right!" Sandpaw meowed smugly. Then in her normal voice, she meowed, "Good job, Thornpaw. The important thing is, we can feed the clan and no one will starve."

"I'll tell Acornstar!" Thornpaw meowed.

"Me too!" Sandpaw meowed, racing after her rival.

"Acornstar!" Sandpaw and Thornpaw called.

Acornstar looked up. "What is it, you two?"

"We had this contest," Sandpaw meowed.

"To see who could catch the most prey by sundown!" Thornpaw added.

"So we could test our hunting skills and feed the clan," Sandpaw meowed.

"Sandpaw won," Thornpaw meowed.

"And there's enough for, like, _every_ cat in the clan!" Sandpaw meowed happily.

"Can the clan have a feast?" Thornpaw asked.

"I don't see why not!" Acornstar purred. "I'll gather the clan."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the SkyStone for a clan meeting!" Acornstar's voice rang throughout the clearing.

Cats started to gather in the clearing. "What's this about?" All of the cats were murmuring. "Why is there a meeting?" "Are the other apprentices old enough, and ready enough to be warriors yet?" Once it was quiet, Acornstar continued.

"Two of our apprentices, Sandpaw, who has only been an apprentice for two days now, and Thornpaw, who is still a young apprentice himself, have created a challenge. All of today, since around sunhigh, they have been hunting for the clan. They managed to bring back _tons_ of fresh kill."

"Sandpaw! Thornpaw! Sandpaw! Thornpaw!"

"Can we show them?" Sandpaw asked.

"Sure," Acornstar meowed.

Sandpaw and Thornpaw raced off to grab their fresh kill. They hauled it into the clearing, where all of the cats gasped at how much they caught.

"It's time for the feast!" Sandpaw called.

Every cat, after thanking Sandpaw and Thornpaw, took a piece of fresh kill from their pile and from the normal fresh kill pile, which was about half of the pile that the two apprentices had, at most.

Sandpaw grabbed a squirrel that Thornpaw had caught and padded over to the brown tom. "Thornpaw," She meowed, "Do you want to share this with me?"

Thornpaw looked happy, happier than normal. _Weird . . ._ "Sure!" He meowed. So the two rivals ate the squirrel together before heading to their nests.

In the morning, Thornpaw was ready to do whatever Sandpaw asked. So he went and fetched some fresh kill for her from the pile that the dawn patrol had brought back. She nibbled on the plump mouse, after thanking Thornpaw, of course.

After that, Illumanatedpath and Larkflight took Thornpaw and Sandpaw out for some battle training. After that, they told them to hunt, not for _quite_ as long, and then come back to the camp. So Sandpaw and Thornpaw raced off into the forest in search of prey. The sun was going to be going down soon, and the pair of rivals had caught three thrushes', a few mice and a rabbit. They started to head back towards camp. But Thornpaw soon stopped Sandpaw.

"Sandpaw, wait," Thornpaw meowed. "I- could- would you . . . um . . . watch the sunset with me? It's been a long time since I've been so happy, and a sunset will complete the perfect day."

"Sure Thornpaw," Sandpaw meowed.

They climbed onto a giant rock and watched as the sun lowered. Before it was gone, Thornpaw surprised Sandpaw.

"Sandpaw, you are still in control of me right now," Thornpaw meowed. "And I _need_ to tell you this. Sandpaw, I _want_ you. I want you to be _mine_, my mate. Sandpaw, I _love_ you."

Sandpaw stared at Thornpaw, shocked. _What? I-I thought we were rivals! Rivals aren't mates! And yet . . . what am I _thinking_?_ Sandpaw stared at Thornpaw for a moment. "Thornpaw, I-I . . . I," Sandpaw stumbled, trying to find the right words. "Thornpaw, I don't know what to say. This is so sudden . . . and unexpected. I-I thought that we were rivals!"

"We . . . we can be _more_ than that," Thornpaw whispered.

"I want to become the best warrior _ever!_" Sandpaw meowed. "And I can't do that if I'm stuck in the nursery! I'm sorry, Thornpaw, but I'm an _apprentice_, and so are you! I can't . . . I can't do this!"

Sandpaw jumped off of the boulder and grabbed some prey. She then ran back to camp, ignoring Thornpaw's pleading her to come back._ I can't do it, I can't!_ Sandpaw dropped the prey onto the pile, taking nothing for herself. She wasn't hungry, she was _worried_. She was worried, that she may have just lost a friend and a rival by saying _no_. Sandpaw fell asleep sad that night, with a feeling of pain in her heart.

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**So, that was chapter . . . whatever! Four? Five? If you don't count the ALLIGNCES, then it would be chapter four.**

**So, was it good? Was it _bad?_ I hope it wasn't! And ooh! A little _romance_ at the end there! Just so you guys know, I am _slowly_ getting better at romance. Yeah . . . . .**

**Can I have two reviews please? No, I don't want this to sound mean, but I won't update this story until the reviews say twelve (12). [that only means two more reviews!] But I _always_ accept more than that amount of reviews! I just don't really like writing things if no one reviews on them . . .**

**See you next time! XD**


	6. Forbiden Love

**Hey, I got what I asked for! Two reviews! Thank you guys! *cries happily* that was WEIRD, even for me. Okay, so I got the next chapter up!**

**I do NOT own Warriors and I never will! Is that good? I only own the cats in this story, and my story _ideas_.**

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"Sandpaw!" Illuminatedpath hissed into the den. "Sandpaw, wake _up!_"

"I'm coming!" Sandpaw hissed. "Why are you so mad?"

"Maybe because I've been calling for you about _ten times!_" Illuminatedpath meowed.

"I'm sorry," Sandpaw meowed.

Illuminatedpath sighed. "It's okay, let's get going. We have a border patrol today; we're going to the CliffClan border."

"Yay!" Sandpaw meowed. "My first border patrol!"

Sandpaw raced to the entrance of camp, flicking her tail, impatiently waiting for the rest of the cats to come. Once all of the other cats had been gathered, they headed out.

"Wait!" Moonpaw called after the patrol. "Fallingheart wants me to come with you!"

The patrol waited for her to catch up and then they left. Sandpaw followed the older cats over to the border. She padded beside her sister.

"Moonpaw, why is Fallingheart making you come? You do know that there could be danger," Sandpaw meowed.

"Fallingheart wanted me to collect herbs, and she didn't want me going alone," Moonpaw explained. "And Fallingheart is stuck in her den because Jayflower ran into a thorn bush, and she now looks like a hedgehog. So I _had_ to go with you guys."

"Oh, okay!" Sandpaw meowed.

"We're nearing the border!" Illuminatedpath whispered. "You two," She meowed to Sandpaw and Moonpaw, "Stay close. If there's a battle, Moonpaw, you _have_ to head back to the camp to get help, okay?"

Moonpaw nodded. Sandpaw then whispered, "Don't worry Moonpaw, _I'll_ protect you!"

"You know about as much battle training as I do!" Moonpaw laughed.

"I know _a little more!_" Sandpaw meowed. "Besides, no CliffClan cat would _dare_ attack us, we're _SandClan!_ We're the greatest clan in the forest!"

"Is that right?" A voice came from the other side of the border.

A black tomcat stood at the border with his apprentice, a gray tomcat that didn't look much older than Sandpaw and Moonpaw. A ginger she cat and a black and white tomcat were next to them, their claws extended.

"Blackfang," Illuminatedpath dipped her head. "I'm sorry for what my apprentice said, she has only been an apprentice for three days now, and this is her first time meeting cats from other clans."

"Second time," Sandpaw hissed.

"Second time?" Blackfang asked amused.

"RavenClan cats, the evil pieces of _fox dung!_" Sandpaw hissed.

"So, Illuminatedpath, your clan's doing well, right?" Blackfang asked. "Flowerstar wanted to make sure, since she still thinks that our clans are really close."

"We're doing fine. Fifteen apprentices, ten kits, three new warriors," Illuminatedpath meowed.

"That's good," Blackfang meowed. Sandpaw thought that she saw pain in Blackfang's eyes, but why? Sandpaw didn't like the way that he was staring at her mentor.

"Illuminatedpath, come on. We have to mark the rest of the border," Hazelflower meowed.

"Y-yes," Illuminatedpath meowed, "Let's go."

They said good bye to the CliffClan cats. Sandpaw couldn't help but wonder why her _sister_ and her _mentor_ were both staring at a cat from another clan with . . . a weird emotion in their eyes. Love. _Or was I imagining it? I think I was . . ._ They continued their patrol and marked the borders before heading back to camp. Illuminatedpath went to go report to Acornstar what had happened. Sandpaw watched Moonpaw walk back over to the medicine cat's den, carrying whatever herbs that they had found.

Suddenly, a cat came running into the camp. "Help, SandClan, _help!_" The cat was white, except she didn't look very white pelted. She almost looked like a ginger cat. She was covered in cuts, and her blue eyes were flashing wildly.

"RavenClan's attacking us, Acornstar! You have to help!" She meowed.

"SandClan, to me!" Acornstar meowed. "StormClan is in trouble, we _have_ to go and help them! RavenClan are enemies of us all, and StormClan _can't_ be lost in their savagery!"

Wolfcall, Burningdawn, Fishleap, Mudheart, Flamestorm, Snowflame, Echopoppy, Whisperingfawn, Firepaw, Dustpaw, Ivypaw, Lionfoot, Minttail, Skypaw, Ferndapple, Spidershade, Aspenstorm, Cloudstorm, Shortear and Driftpaw all followed Acornstar out of camp. Fallingheart came along, to try to heal the wounded cats. Moonpaw followed her mentor, and Sandpaw almost watched them go. _Almost_. She then padded out of camp, through a secret exit as quietly as she could, and followed the patrol. Sandpaw watched as the injured she cat tried to lead them, but Acornstar murmured something to her and she slowed down some until she was running next to Fallingheart and Moonpaw.

Sandpaw watched as Acornstar yowled, "Attack!"

The RavenClan cats looked up to see the SandClan cats flooding into Stormclan's camp. The RavenClan seemed to know that there was no chance of winning, but they still fought the SandClan and StormClan cats. Sandpaw leaped into battle and clawed at the nearest enemy cat. The cat flung her away. Sandpaw gasped as she landed on the ground. _I can't fight these cats! I have no battle training, other then the most basic moves, and that was only two moves! Why did I come out here?_

Sandpaw got up and tried to flee. She ran towards the edge of the camp, but a cat leaped on her. _I can't win!_ Sandpaw clawed at the cat. Surprisingly, she heard the cat screech and run from her. She then noticed, she had clawed it _exactly_ where her mentor had always told her to. _I can do this!_ Sandpaw leaped at another cat. She landed on its back, choking on the thick RavenClan scent. Sandpaw wasted no time digging her claws into the cat's pelt. The cat tried to shake her off, but that only made Sandpaw claw into its pelt harder. The cat started to roll, and Sandpaw Instinctively leaped off of its back and bit down on the cat's leg. It soon raced off, painfully. Sandpaw yowled in glee, having beaten her first and second enemies all by herself.

"RavenClan, retreat!" A cat's call sounded. _That must be the leader._ All of the RavenClan cats raced from StormClan's camp. Many cats yowled happily, having beaten their enemies.

"Sandpaw, what are _you_ doing here?" Moonpaw hissed from behind Sandpaw.

Sandpaw turned around, her eyes glowing. "I came to help, and I chased off _two_ cats! Isn't that cool, Moonpaw?"

"Yes," Moonpaw agreed. "But if Acornstar finds you here, it won't be very cool-"

"Sandpaw?" Acornstar's meow came from behind Sandpaw. Sandpaw turned around to see her leader. "Sandpaw, why are you here? You do know how _dangerous_ RavenClan cats are, don't you?"

"I do know!" Sandpaw defended herself. "I chased off _two_ of them!"

"You'll make a great warrior," Acornstar meowed. And then he meowed harshly, "But you're not one right now. You will be in big trouble when we get back to the camp!"

_No! I do something nice, and now I'm going to get punished for it!_ "Yes Acornstar."

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**Poor Sandpaw. Why did she have to get in trouble? Oh wait. I _made_ her get in trouble. Yea . . .**

**Could I please have three reviews? [(I really hope that's not pushing it!)(I know some people who ask for _six_ reviews before they upadte!)]**

**So yeah, until next time, have a _great, _SUPER SPECIAL _AWESOME_ day! XD**


	7. Confined

**Hey, well I _think_ that I got at least three reviews! My page will only let me see the first thirteen of them, but it _says_ that there are twenty one reviews.**

**Oh, and special thanks to Ambercloud of SkyClan for reading and reviewing on my sister, I Am The OverLord's story! You are _amazing!_**

**I do not own Warriors! Never will I, I will just stay on !**

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Sandpaw lay in her nest of moss. _Humph! He didn't have to confine me to camp for a quarter moon! That's not fair! I helped in the battle! I fought off two cats, with almost _no_ battle training of my own! I should by _rewarded_, or at least a friendly "good job" would do! _

"Sandpaw, I _told_ you that you shouldn't have come," Moonpaw meowed, noticing that Sandpaw was so mad.

"I know, I _know!_" Sandpaw growled. "It's my fault; I shouldn't have come to the battle when Acornstar didn't tell me to! I _know_, Moonpaw! And it's my fault that I am stuck here!"

Sandpaw had been stuck in camp for three sunrises already, and it was already getting to her head. She _hated_ being locked in camp when she _could_ be running through the forest, learning hunting skills and fighting skills and being _free_. Sandpaw sighed and padded out of the apprentices den. She watched Moonpaw head back over to the medicine cat's den and then she padded over to the elders den. She was _also_ going to have to pluck fleas and ticks off of the elders' pelts. Sandpaw noticed that Moonpaw had already left the mouse bile at the entrance of the den. _Why did I have to get punished for helping? It's so unfair! No one understands what it's like to get punished for _helping_ you clan! No one _ever_ gets punished for hunting or practicing or cleaning bedding!_

"Sandpaw, are you coming?" A cat called from inside the den.

"Yes Brairsong," Sandpaw meowed. Sandpaw was glad that _one_ of the elders was kind.

Sandpaw padded into the den and started checking the elders' pelts for ticks.

"Sandpaw, would you like to hear a story while you work?" Brairsong asked.

Sandpaw nodded, unable to talk with the mouse bile in her mouth. So, as Sandpaw worked, she also listened to Brairsong's story.

"One time, a long time ago, before me, Whiteface, or even Deafleaf was even born, there was this time when it rained for countless sunrises. No cat could go out hunting without getting soaked, and the medicine cat's den was full of cats, all sick from the cold and rain. But one cat had to feed the clan, even if no other cats would . . ."

_"Yellowflame!" A gray cat called. The gray cat was named Graywater. "Why do you insist on hunting? You _know_ that you will just end up sick like all of the rest!"_

_"If no one hunts, who will feed the clan?" Yellowflame asked. She turned around and left the shelter of the warriors den and raced out through the dark morning, the sun was blocked by the clouds that covered the sky, pouring down rain._

_"I will save the clan," Yellowflame told herself as she hunted. _

_After she had caught a rabbit, three mice, five shrews, moles and voles, a thrush and two squirrels, she headed back to camp. Brave Yellowflame gave prey to all of the cats in the clan, and she only took a small mouse for herself. The next morning, Yellowflame woke up sneezing. _Oh no! _She thought. _I _can't_ be sick!_ Yellowflame then headed out of camp before any other cat was awake. The stars of StarClan were still out, waiting for Yellowflame to come._

_"Yellowflame, we have been waiting for you," A starry cat meowed. This cat's name was Brokenheart, Yellowflame's mother._

_"Mother!" Yellowflame meowed. "Why do I have to get sick now? I am the only cat that will hunt, and the clan may _die_ if I get sick!"_

_"I'm sorry Yellowflame, but it's your time to join StarClan," Brokenheart meowed sadly._

_"It can't be!" Yellowflame wailed. "If I join StarClan, then who will feed the clan?"_

_"There is one thing that you can do, before you have to join us." Brokenheart motioned for her daughter to come closer. "You can _believe_ and you can _hope_ for the sun to come back. It depends on how much you _want_ it. Once it's back, other warriors can hunt. Is that fair?"_

_"Yes," Yellowflame whispered. "The last thing that I can do to help my clan will be to bring back the sun. Once it is back, then that's when I'll join StarClan."_

_Brokenheart nodded. Yellowflame looked up at where the sun should be in the sky. A cough shook her feeble body as she breathed. Her breathing became rough, and she was worried that hope and belief might not be able to bring the sun back. Just as she felt herself dying, she also felt herself rising._

_"What?" Yellowflame meowed, shocked. "I-I'm dead! And the sun's not back yet!"_

_"It will be," The words were whispered into Yellowflame's ear._

_Yellowflame felt herself rising into the sky. _I am going to join StarClan now. _Yellowflame watched as light shot from her fur, a bright yellow light, like a _yellow flame_. It broke through the clouds, lightening the sky once more. Yellowflame, happily, rose into the sky, becoming one with StarClan and one with the _sun."

Sandpaw gasped at the end, she had finished searching the elders' pelts, so she was sitting next to Brairsong, listening to the elder's tale.

"You mean, she _still_ died in the end?" Sandpaw asked.

"Yes, she gave her life to bring back the sun," Brairsong meowed. "She gave her life for her clan. She was a _true_ warrior."

"I'll be like Yellowflame when I'm a warrior," Sandpaw promised.

"Just don't go to join StarClan before me," The old cat laughed.

"I won't," Sandpaw promised. "And I'll make everyone in the clan proud, just wait!"

"I think that cats are already proud of you, Sandpaw," Brairsong meowed. "You knew barely _any_ fighting moves, and you still tried to help StormClan. That was very brave for an apprentice. How many cats did you beat?"

_I wonder why she's asking me._ "I beat two cats."

"All by yourself, without any cat noticing you?"

"Yep." _These are really weird questions._

"Amazing."

"Sandpaw!" Illumanatedpath called for her apprentice.

"I have to go!" Sandpaw meowed before Brairsong could ask any more questions.

_Did she _want_ me to brag? I'm not really the bragging type . . . But I am a competitive type!_ Sandpaw had just spotted Thornpaw coming back to camp, his mouth full of prey. _What does he see in me? Does he think that I would make a good mother? I don't know why he would think that, I'm only an apprentice!_ Thornpaw spotted Sandpaw and tried to walk over to her, his eyes bright. _No, I don't want that kind of relationship right now._ Sandpaw turned away and found Illumanatedpath. She tried to ignore the look of hurt in Thornpaw's eyes as she turned away from him.

"Are you ready to change the bedding in the nursery?" Illumanatedpath meowed.

"Sure," Sandpaw grumbled. _I hate doing all of this work!_

Sandpaw cleared the nursery and cleaned it as quickly as she could. By the time that she was done, the sun was going down. She sighed and grabbed a sparrow off of the fresh kill pile before heading over to her nest.

_When times are hardest, and the Acorn shall fall from its home in the tree. The golden light of the day warms the hearts of the cats, and protects them through their lives. Evil can be found in the darkness of the Raven's wing and love can be found, even in the sharpest of the thorns. The darkness of the night calms and soothes the daylight, matching its light with the pure light of darkness. Trust it, and save the clan, StarClan's light._

_What do you want me to do, __StarClan?_

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**Poor Sandpaw! She can't figure out what the prophecy means! And she _really_ shouldn't have gotten in trouble!**

**Hey, can I have three more reviews please? Thank you, whoever reviews. Everyone that reviews is _super special awesome!_**

**XD**


	8. The Fight With RavenClan

**Well, I got three reviews, so I decided to update! Thank you all, who review. It really makes me happy. So yeah, poor Sandpaw wasn't able to leave camp all last chapter. I sped time up and skipped a few boring sunrises... and here we are! Please enjoy the chapter- and if you want, check out OverLord's story and or my other stories!**

**I do not own Warriors! If I did, Hollyleaf wouldn't have killed Ashfur, Ashfur wouldn't have become evil, and Tigerstar _might've_ been reborn to put in a new plot twist. ...enjoy!**

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A few sunrises later, Sandpaw was back to normal apprentice duties. She hunted, she had fighting practice, and she patrolled the borders. Life went on, as normal. That is, until the day when she was on a border patrol with Thornpaw. Until that day, she had been trying to stay away from the brown tomcat.

_It's not that I don't _like_ him,_ Sandpaw kept telling herself_, it's just that I don't want to start a relationship. Is that so bad?_ Sandpaw's conscious kept telling her that it wasn't a bad thing, but her heart continued arguing. _Why is love so hard? Do I love him, or do I respect him as a _rival_?_

"Everyone, stop," Illumanatedpath hissed.

Sandpaw looked up to see her mentor, crouching in the bushes. She crept over and sat beside her mentor.

"Sandpaw, I need you to run back to camp, as fast as possible, and fetch help," Illumanatedpath meowed. "Lives will depend on how fast you run."

"What-" Sandpaw was about to ask a question when she heard cats hiss and Illumanatedpath give her battle yowl.

Sandpaw turned tail and raced as fast as she could towards the camp. _Why did I have to be the one chosen to run back to camp? I can fight, really well! And . . . I have to get there; lives depend on how fast I run!_ Sandpaw exploded into cat.

"Acornstar!" She yowled with all of her might. "RavenClan's attacking! They need help, _now!_"

Acornstar raced out of his den, calling, "Brownfang, Yellowfur, Bluestrpie, Grayflower, Dustpaw, Nightpaw, Snowflame, Ravenpaw, Flamestorm, Mudheart, Burningdawn, Ferndapple, Rabbitwhisker, Minttail!" Acornstar headed to the entrance. "Come with me! You too, Sandpaw."

All of the cats raced through the forest towards where the patrol was. There were tons of cats there, Illumanatedpath was fighting a black tomcat called Scarface, Brightdream wrestled with a skinny gray she cat, Aspenstorm was struggling to fight off two she cats, both looked around apprentice age, while Larkflight tried to take on two warriors, but she _really_ needed help. And last, Sandpaw saw Thornpaw. He was pinned down by a warrior, and the warrior was about to bite down on Thornpaw's neck.

"No!" Sandpaw yowled.

_Not Thornpaw . . . you _can't_ kill Thornpaw!_ She pounced into the warrior's side and knocked him to the ground. Thornpaw jumped up, nodding his thanks, and he raked his claws down the warrior's flank. Crimson blood sprayed the ground where Thornpaw had clawed the cat. The tom yowled in pain and ran away.

Sandpaw nodded to Thornpaw before tackling a black and white she cat that was trying to _kill_ Larkflight. Sandpaw pounced onto the cat, digging her claws deep into the cat's back. Scarlet blood stained Sandpaw's paws, and the she cat tried to throw her off, but Sandpaw held onto the cat's back for dear life. _StarClan, give me strength!_ Sandpaw sheathed one of her forepaw's claws and then sliced the cat's ears with her free paw. The she cat howled in pain and tried to roll over and smash Sandpaw. She seemed to _sense_ that it was going to happen. So Sandpaw jumped off of the she cat.

But before she could claw at the cat, another cat tackled her, an apprentice.

"Stay away from my mentor!" The apprentice hissed.

"You RavenClan cats are all the same," Sandpaw spat. "All you care about is fighting, and killing other cats! You stay away from my _clan!_"

Sandpaw swiped at the tomcat, clawing his muzzle. He responded with swiping his claws down Sandpaw's flank. Sandpaw felt his claws rip down her side, and she felt the warm, scarlet blood spill out of her. She clamped her jaws shut so she wouldn't yowl in pain. She quickly responded with biting the cat's leg and pinning him down to the ground. Her claws sank into his shoulders, crimson welling around the edges.

"Finish me!" The tomcat spat. "_Now!_"

Sandpaw almost swiped at the tom's throat. _No, this is wrong._ Sandpaw sheathed her claws.

"I won't kill you," Sandpaw meowed.

"Kill me _now!_" The tomcat hissed. "You beat me, so I _must_ deserve to die!"

"No!" Sandpaw gasped, shocked. "You don't deserve to die! You deserve to _live_, and to _correct_ the mistakes that you made in _this_ battle so you will be prepared for the _next_."

"Have you been taught _nothing?_ Once you defeat an enemy, you _kill_ them, and rid yourself of fighting them again!" The tom spat.

"Who _are_ you?" Sandpaw hissed. "Why would you _kill_ other cats, without a reason other than beating them in _one_ battle? There would be no warriors _left!_"

"My name is Saltpaw!" The tomcat hissed, his white fur, stained crimson, fluffed up as he hissed. "And I am a _true warrior!_"

He leaped at Sandpaw, but before he made contact, he collapsed onto the ground, defeated.

"You have too many wounds to continue fighting," Sandpaw murmured. "Come with me, my sister's a medicine cat."

Saltpaw made a wailing noise. Sandpaw grabbed his scruff and dragged him off into the bushes.

"You don't . . . help enemies," Saltpaw choked. "Leave . . . me to die. I . . . deserve it."

"No!" Sandpaw hissed, continuing to drag the tomcat back towards camp. "Maybe some time at _SandClan_ will teach you how to be a _true warrior_."

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**OverLord! I am sorry, but Moonpaw isn't in my story as much as she probably _should_ be...**

**And who is this Saltpaw? A _RavenClan_ cat, now going to be in _SandClan_ camp! That. Means. _Something!_ (Sorry, can't tell.) ... (Oh, and just to let you people know, I am trying hard _not_ to make Sandpaw a Mary Sue! She's sort of like Bluestar... wanting to be the best warrior ever...)**

**Can I have three reviews? Please? Please review, my loyal reviewers!**


	9. The Next Rival

**Well, I got reviews, and I wanted to update. So, here's the next chapter! Plus, I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed so far, all of you are amazing! I just wanted to tell you...**

**I do not own Warriors! I never have, and I never will. Okay?**

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"Where am I?" Sandpaw looked up to see the snowy white tomcat looking around the den, just a few paw steps away from her.

"Saltpaw, you're in SandClan, remember?" Sandpaw meowed. "I brought you here when you couldn't walk, let alone fight. I wanted to teach you how to be a true warrior."

"Oh yeah, _now_ I remember," Saltpaw growled.

"Are you feeling any pain?" Moonpaw meowed, padding over.

Saltpaw stared at the silver gray she cat when she padded in, his jaw fell down. Sandpaw gave him a glare that said, _that's my sister! Beware!_

"N-no," Saltpaw meowed, licking his chest. "I'I-m fine."

Moonpaw smiled and padded over to the storage to get some herbs.

"She's a _medicine cat_," Sandpaw hissed.

"What, I can't dream?" Saltpaw joked.

"Watch it," Sandpaw growled. "It's against clan laws to fall in love with a cat from another clan."

"Then you better be careful," Saltpaw meowed. "The she cats _always_ love me."

"What?" Sandpaw hissed, stalking out of the medicine cat's den. _Why would _I_ ever fall in love with _him_?_

"Hey Sandpaw!" Thornpaw called. He raced over. "You were . . . really good in the battle. You fought well."

_Is he trying to flirt with me? It's not working . . ._

Thornpaw caught the look on Sandpaw's face and meowed, "I'm not trying to get you to love me! I-I just . . . I just want to be your friend. I want to take back what I had said before, you're not old enough to have a mate, and I-I was wrong to ask you. Will you forgive me?"

Sandpaw paused for a moment. _I should forgive him._ Sandpaw was about to forgive him when she heard a cat yowl, "What's _he_ doing here?"

One thought flashed through Sandpaw's mind- _Saltpaw._ "T-Thornpaw, I have to go. Now!" Sandpaw turned and raced over to the medicine cat's den. "No, don't hurt him!"

Sandpaw looked around to see Dawnleaf, her fur fluffed up and her back arched. Facing her was Saltpaw, his white fur was also fluffed up, and he matched her size. Moonpaw also raced into the main cave of the den, her mouth full of herbs. Fallingheart was behind Moonpaw, her mouth full of herbs too.

"Wait!" Sandpaw yowled. "No one move!"

Every cat stopped what they were doing and looked over at Sandpaw.

"He's an _intruder!_" Dawnleaf hissed. "A _RavenClan_ intruder!"

"No, he's _not_," Sandpaw meowed. "Its true- he's from RavenClan. But he's here because he's going to learn what it is like to be a _true warrior_ and not a blood thirsty cat of RavenClan."

"He's our patient," Fallingheart meowed.

"B-but . . . he's . . ." Dawnleaf murmured. "_RavenClan._"

"You talk about RavenClan as if it's _bad_ to be part of it," Saltpaw meowed.

"It _is!_" Sandpaw meowed while Dawnleaf hissed, "Go back to RavenClan!"

"What?" Sandpaw meowed. "No!"

Dawnleaf turned to Sandpaw. Sandpaw fluffed up her fur.

"You think that you know everything, huh?" Dawnleaf hissed. "Well, I'm a _warrior!_ I know more than you, and I say he goes!"

"You think that you're so smart because you're a _warrior?_" Sandpaw hissed. "I've seen _kits_ with more brains and judgment!"

"Take. That. Back!" Dawnleaf hissed, leaping at Sandpaw.

"_STOP!_" Fallingheart hissed, jumping in between the two cats. "Dawnleaf, go hunting, go on a patrol, go do _something!_" Dawnleaf looked like she was about to oppose, but she ducked her head and quickly left. "And Sandpaw!" Sandpaw looked at the medicine cat. Fallingheart sighed. "Go hunting with Thornpaw or something, and leave the big decisions to Acornstar, Wolfcall, and myself, okay?" Sandpaw sighed and left the den, her tail dragging in the dust.

"Hey Thornpaw!" Sandpaw called to her friend. "Do you want to go hunting or something?"

Thornpaw looked over at Sandpaw. _In his eyes . . . is that anger?_ "Why _would_ I?" Thornpaw hissed. "I have something _better_ to be doing right now!"

Thornpaw then turned around and marched over to Ivypaw. Then he left the camp with the silver she cat. Sandpaw watched as Ivypaw stared her in the eyes, her green eyes flashing with a look that said, _I have him now and _you_ don't!_ Sandpaw was left in the middle of camp, her tail down and her heart hurting. _How could I have grown this far apart from Thornpaw? Why is he so mad at me all of the sudden?_ Then Sandpaw remembered- she was about to say 'I forgive you' when the whole thing with Dawnleaf and Saltpaw happened. _I would be mad too, if I was in his place. He has a right to ignore me, to hate me._ But deep down in her heart, Sandpaw didn't want it to be true; she wanted her rival, Thornkit, back. And Thornpaw, her greatest rival at becoming a warrior. Now she had another rival, Ivypaw, her greatest rival at emotions, and mostly _love._ _Mark my words, Ivypaw, I _will_ get my Thornpaw back; I will get my rival back!_

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**So, how was that? And ooh! Ivypaw is in love with Thornpaw! Poor Sandpaw, it seems that she's jealous! And is Saltpaw falling for the pretty medicine cat apprentice? Or will he fall for another cat? And is Thornpaw falling in love with Ivypaw? Find out sometime!**

**Can I have three reviews please? Thank you! XD**


	10. Training

**Hey! I have posted the next chapter for two reasons! First, for everyone who reviewed. You all made me very happy! And two, I shouldn't be saying this but... today's my birthday! Yay! I am like... the happiest person in the world! On with the chapter! I don't own Warriors!**

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"Okay Saltpaw, your training starts today," Sandpaw meowed. "Illumanatedpath gave me the day off today, so today will be the day that you find out how to be a _true_ warrior."

"Do I _have_ to?" Saltpaw whined.

"Stop acting like a kit!" Sandpaw hissed. "Act like a warrior! What would you _clan_ say if they saw you like that?"

Saltpaw looked Sandpaw in the eyes, his blue green eyes wide with shock, scaredness, and . . . _anger?_ Saltpaw puffed up his chest.

"Okay, what first?" Saltpaw asked.

"First, we hunt for the elders," Sandpaw meowed.

"But-" Saltpaw meowed, but caught himself and didn't complain anymore.

"Hunting for the elders shows _respect_. You do respect your elders, right?"

"No," Saltpaw spat. "Those lazy lumps of fur are _worthless!_ All they do is complain, and _we_ are the ones who have to do everything for them!"

"Incorrect answer!" Sandpaw meowed. "Elders are _not_ worthless. Who defended you clan before you were born? Who hunted for the clan? The elders _deserve_ their rights to complain, they've protected the clan for longer than you've been alive! It's _you_ who doesn't have the right to complain!"

"Fine," Saltpaw grumbled. "Elders . . . I guess they _do_ have the right to complain."

"And anyway, when was hunting _not_ fun?" Sandpaw asked happily as she ran out of camp, with Saltpaw hard on her heels.

"Okay, hunting lesson number one," Sandpaw meowed. "Keep your tail down, and your weight evenly distributed. Don't let your tail drag on the ground and rustle the leaves, and pull yourself forward like a snake, keep your paw steps soft. One more thing- don't step on any twigs or branches!"

Saltpaw nodded. He spotted a mouse and started to pull himself towards it, smoothly as a snake. He, when he was really close to the mouse, didn't notice a twig and stepped on it. _Crunch!_ The mouse looked up, but before it could move, Saltpaw pounced on it.

"Great job!" Sandpaw meowed.

"W-what?" Saltpaw looked confuzed. "Why are _you_ telling me that? Isn't it only the _leader_ who congradulates the cats?"

"No," Sandpaw meowed. "Or at least, not in SandClan. Here, we're all friends!" _Or at least _most_ of us! Some of us need to take their paws off my rival! Stupid Ivypaw!_

"Are you okay?" Saltpaw asked.

"Yeah," Sandpaw meowed. "I was just . . . thinking."

"What's my next lesson?" Saltpaw meowed happily, swishing his tail.

"Hey, let's hunt some more first!" Sandpaw laughed. "Then we'll move on to a little bit of fighting practice."

Saltpaw nodded. So the two cats hunted. Once they caught a lot of prey, they headed back to camp. Sandpaw caught thornpaw watching her walking with Saltpaw and he scowled. He padded over to Ivypaw and started talking with her. Sandpaw felt her heart hurting again. But Saltpaw made her quickly forget the pain as they gave the elders their prey. _Lucky Saltpaw,_ Sandpaw thought, _if Thistlepaw didn't have to clean out the den and remove the ticks and fleas from the elders pelt, then _we_ would've done that._

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the SkyStone for a clan meeting!" Acornstar's voice rang out.

Sandpaw led Saltpaw over for the clan meeting. _I wonder what this could be about . . ._ Sandpaw noticed three kits sitting in the center of camp. _Cherrykit, Maplekit and Birchkit. Are they going to become apprentices?_

"I gather you all here for one of my favorite jobs as leader," Acornstar meowed. "Cherrykit, Maplekit and Birchkit have reached their sixth moon, and it is time that they become apprentices."

All of the cats murmured agreement.

"Cherrykit, from this day on until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Cherrypaw. Whisperingfawn, you are smart and loyal, and you shall train Cherrypaw."

"Cherrypaw! Cherrypaw!"

"Maplekit, from this day forward, you shall be known as Maplepaw. Jayflower, you are brave and quick thinging, and I want you to pass on tose skills to young Maplepaw. This will be your first apprentice, so you can ask for help if you need it."

"Maplepaw! Maplepaw!"

"Birchkit, from this day on until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Birchpaw. Mudheart, you are ready for another apprentice, you shall train young Birchpaw in the ways of the warrior."

"Birchpaw! Birchpaw!"

Cherrypaw, Maplepaw and Birchpaw touched noses with their mentors as the clan called their names. Sandpaw tried to call as loud as she could, just like her friends had done for her.

"One more thing," Acornstar meowed. "Firepaw, Dustpaw, Ivypaw, Skypaw and Driftpaw. I believe that you are ready to become warriors."

"Wolfcall, is Firepaw ready?"

"Yes Acornstar," Wolfcall meowed, his chest puffed up with pride.

"Brownfang, is Dustpaw ready?"

"He is, and he will be a warrior that the clan will be pround of," Brownfang replied.

"Echopoppy, is Ivypaw ready?"

"She is," Echopoppy meowed.

"Minttail, is Skypaw ready?"

"He was _born_ ready," Minttail replied.

"And Shortear, is Driftpaw ready?"

"He has never been more ready than now," Shortear meowed happily.

"Firepaw, Dustpaw, Ivypaw, Skypaw and Driftpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Firepaw meowed.

"I do," Dustpaw repeated.

"I do," Ivypaw replied, her eyes on Thornpaw.

"I do," Skypaw meowed, his voice full of excietment.

"I do!"Driftpaw squeaked like a kit.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Firepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Firestalker. StarClan honors your bravery and skills, and we welcome you as a warrior in your turn."

Fierstalker licked Acornstar's shoulder.

"Dustpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Dustfang. StarClan honors your skills and your quick thinking, and we welcome you as a warrior in your turn."

Dustfang licked Acornstar's shoulder.

"Ivypaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Ivyclaw. StarClan honors your bravery and sharp wits and we welcome you as a warrior in your turn."

Ivyclaw licked Acornstar's shoulder.

"Skypaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Skyheart. StarClan honors your quick thinking and loyalty, and we welcome you as a warrior in your turn."

Skyheart licked Acornstar's shoulder.

"Driftpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Driftshadow. StarClan honors your loyalty and your eagerness to learn, and we welcome you as a warrior in your turn."

Driftshadow licked Acornstar's shoulder.

"Firestalker! Dustfang! Ivyclaw! Shyheart! Driftshadow! Firestalker! Dustfang! Ivyclaw! Shyheart! Driftshadow! Firestalker! Dustfang! Ivyclaw! Shyheart! Driftshadow!"

Sandpaw watched Thornpaw as she called out her clanmates new names. Thornpaw called Ivyclaw's name with so much spirit, with so much pride. _What does he like about her?_

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**New warriors, new apprentices, and the new rival.**

**Please review! Can I have three please?**


	11. Forgive and Forget

**So, I didn't get as many reviews as I hoped, but I haven't updated this in like, _forever_ (all of five days) so I wanted to update. So, here's chapter... 11!**

**Warriors belongs to Erin Hunter. If I was them, I wouldn't be writing fan fictions. Which brings up the question- do the Erins write fan fictions? The world may never know...**

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Sandpaw looked up at the night sky from the apprentices den. Next to her was Saltpaw, and on the other side of the den was Thornpaw. He was sleeping with his back to her. Sandpaw sighed as she looked up at the star splattered sky. _Why does he hate me so much?_ Sandpaw watched as a star zipped across the sky. _I wish that Thornpaw wasn't so made at me . . ._ Sandpaw looked over at the brown tom once more before falling asleep.

Sandpaw woke up before any other cat got up. She slipped out of the den and out the dirtplace tunnel. No cat saw her leave, or so she thought. She raced through the forest until she found what she was looking for. She came across a tree called the _Twisted Tree_. The reason it got that name was because of it's shape. It had a small trunk, but it had _very_ many branches. And it's branches reached towards the sky, twisting and turning and reaching the sky. It's branches were at _least_ five times longer than the trunk. Sandpaw jumped up to the first branch quickly. From there on, all she had to do was a little bit of climbing, at a weird angle. But most of it was just walking- with her claws out. Once Sandpaw got up towards the top, she stopped. The sun was begining to rise, and Sandpaw watched the rays of yellow, orange and red light flash out across the sky. The sun was like a giant orb, and Sandpaw _loved_ watching it rise and set.

"What are you doing here, so early?"

Sandpaw flipped around, her fur rising. She hadn't heard anyone climbing up the tree, but then again, she was zoned out while watching the sun rise. A brown pelt flashed as Thornpaw jumped up beside Sandpaw.

"What are you doing here, Thornpaw?" Sandpaw asked.

"I wanted to come and talk to you," Thornpaw responded.

"Wouldn't you rather be talking with _Ivyclaw_," Sandpaw meowed, looking away from the brown tomcat.

"No, I wouldn't," Thornpaw meowed. "I want to talk with _you._"

"Why?" Sandpaw asked, still not looking at him.

"Sandpaw, I wanted to say something to you," Thornpaw meowed. "I-I'm _sorry_. I'm sorry that I chose to hang out with Ivyclaw all of the time, instead of you."

"I forgive you," Sandpaw meowed, "For hanging out with Ivyclaw _and_ for saying that you loved me. Now, do you fogive me for hanging out with Saltpaw so much?"

"I will _always_ fogive you," Thornpaw meowed. "Sandpaw, you're like my best friend! My greatest rival!"

"Thornpaw, when we're warriors," Sandpaw meowed. "Maybe, after I've been a warrior for some time, _maybe_ then . . . we can . . ."

"Really?" Thornpaw meowed.

"Yes," Sandpaw meowed. "I mean, I _like_ you, a lot more than I should if we were only rivals. But sometimes, I want my rival _Thistlekit_ back. When we were kits, you were _always_ my rival, you kept me going. And now I'm asking you, for a while, _please_ bring back that playful little furball."

"I'll _always_ be that playful little furball," Thornpaw laughed.

"Good," Sandpaw whispered, pushing herself closer to Thornpaw.

"Thornpaw!" A silvery cat called.

Sandpaw jumped away from Thornpaw and looked over the edge of the branch to see who it was. _Ivyclaw._

"Ivyclaw!" Sandpaw called. "Thornpaw's not up here, it's just me!"

"Oh, okay!" Ivyclaw called and continued her search for thornpaw.

"What did you do _that_ for?" Thornpaw laughed once Ivyclaw was gone.

"I wanted her to leave," Sandpaw meowed simpily. "And I don't want you to leave."

"We should hunt and get back to the clan," Thornpaw meowed.

"Sure," Sandpaw meowed happily. _Yay! Thornpaw and I are friends again! And now, we can go back to the good times that we had, like our hunting games!_

So Sandpaw and Thornpaw hunted, bringing back three thrushes, four mice and a rabbit. Once they got back to the camp, Saltpaw came running over.

"Sandpaw! There you are! Where were you?" Saltpaw asked. Saltpaw glared at thornpaw for a moment, and Thornpaw glared back. _Why?_

"I was hunting," Sandpaw meowed and Thornpaw added, "With me."

"That's . . . _fine_," Saltpaw growled the word _fine_. "Come on Sandpaw, you said we could have battle training today!"

"No, I said that _yesterday_," Sandpaw laughed. "Today I have to be with my mentor, but you could probably come too."

"Yay!" Saltpaw meowed. He glared at Thornpaw, a look that said, _score!_

Thornpaw glared back, a look that said, _she's mine, and stay away!_

Sandpaw padded away from the two tomcats. _Sheesh! Why are those two always fighting, ever time they're together?_ Sandpaw padded over to Illumanatedpath.

"What are we doing today?" She asked.

"Today we're going to go on a border patrol," Illumanatedpath answered. "Around the RavenClan border. Fogstep, Splashpaw, Echopoppy, Frostwhisker, Larkflight, Thornpaw, and Ivyclaw will be joining us. Oh, and if that cat Saltpaw wants to come, he can too."

"Okay, thanks Illumanatedpath!" Sandpaw meowed, running back over to her angry friends.

"Thornpaw!" Sandpaw meowed, catching his attention. "You're going on a border patrol with me." Thornpaw brightened at the sound of that. "And Saltpaw." Saltpaw looked up. "You can come too, if you want to."

"Thanks Sandpaw!" Saltpaw meowed.

"Come on!" Sandpaw meowed, racing out of camp, following the warriors and other apprentices who were going on the patrol.

"Thornpaw!" Ivyclaw meowed. "Come walk with me!"

"_Ivyclaw!_" Thornpaw whined. "I'm walking with _Sandpaw_ right now! How about later?"

"Fine!" Ivyclaw meowed, with a slight hiss.

"Why didn't you walk with her?" Saltpaw meowed. "She's _obviously_ interested in you."

"I'm not interested in her," Thornpaw growled. "There's only _one_ that I lo-_like_."

Once they got to the border, the cats started marking the boundry.

"What are _you_ doing here, Saltpaw?"

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**Who do you think that was at the end? (No one will guess the name right, but you may be able to guess the _clan_ right!)**

**Until next update, can I _please_ have three or more (_hint hint_) reviews? I did say 'please'!**


	12. The Fighting Light of Day

**Well, I got three revews, and I wanted to update because I probably won't be able to update later today or tomorrow... I'll be at my grandparents house, and they don't have wi-fi... ot internet connection at all. **

**But yeah... Lifepaw and Ambercloud of SkyClan (hope I spelled both of your names right!) You both guessed correctly! It _was_ a RavenClan cat!**

**I do not own Warriors! But I do own my clans and cats and plotline! (well, anyone can come up with the same clan names, but... yeah!)**

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Every cat turned around to see four warriors standing on the RavenClan border. The largest, a black tomcat with long scars running down his flank, was the one that had talked.

"Well Saltpaw?" The tomcat asked. "Why did you abandon your clan?"

"I-I . . ." Saltpaw was frozen to the ground. Sandpaw stood beside him.

"We brought him back to the camp and healed him. We never intended on keeping him prisoner forever," Sandpaw meowed.

"Shut your mouth _pussy_," The tom hissed.

"Sandpaw, back _away_ from the border," Illumanatedpath growled. "_Now._"

"Are you afraid that your _kit_-apprentice will get hurt?" The tom laughed.

"Sandpaw, Saltpaw, Thornpaw, Splashpaw," Illumanatedpath meowed. "Come, let's go. You too, Fogstep, Echopoppy, Frostwhisker, Larkflight, and Ivyclaw. Time to go."

"Coming," Splashpaw meowed.

Illumanatedpath led the cats back to camp and went to report the _meeting_ to Acornstar. Frostwhisker took out a hunting patrol because she didn't want to be sitting in camp. Sandpaw went to go and talk with Moonpaw, since Thornpaw was arguing with Ivyclaw and Saltpaw was watching them, laughing.

"Moonpaw?" Sandpaw called into the den. The silver medicine cat apprentice padded out.

"Yes Sandpaw?" Moonpaw asked.

"Can I talk with you?" Sandpaw meowed.

"Sure," Moonpaw meowed. "Fallingheart, I'm going for a walk in the forest with Sandpaw, okay?"

"Sure!" Fallingheart called from somewhere in the den.

"Okay, come on!" Moonpaw mewed like a kit as she raced over towards the camp entrance. Sandpaw laughed and followed her sister.

"What did you want to talk about?" Moonpaw asked.

"I don't know," Sandpaw meowed. "I haven't talked with you in so long."

"Have things gotten better between you and Thornpaw?" Moonpaw asked suddenly.

"Yeah," Sandpaw meowed. "Wait . . . how'd you know that something went on between us?"

"I saw him with Ivyclaw, then Ivypaw, and I saw you in the center of camp, looking like your heart had just broken in two."

"What? I-I . . . don't love . . ."

"Oh come _on_, Sandpaw! I've seen you around him!"

"Humph! Well . . . I saw you watching that _CliffClan_ apprentice on that border patrol! I saw _love_ in _your_ eyes! And that's against the code, majorly!"

Moonpaw's eyes flashed with worry for a moment. _Does Moonpaw really like a cat from another clan?_

"I do _not_ love a CliffClan cat!" Moonpaw hissed.

"And I'm not falling in love right now!" Sandpaw countered. _Yet._

"Fine!" Moonpaw meowed as she stalked away.

"Wait, Moonpaw!" Sandpaw called, racing after her sister. "I-I didn't mean it! You're loyal! You've _always_ been loyal!"

Suddenly, Moonpaw turned around. All Sandpaw saw was a flash of silver fur as Moonpaw tackled her sister. Sandpaw play fought until she pinned Moonpaw to the ground.

"The great warrior wins!" Sandpaw declared.

"Humph!" Moonpaw meowed. "Get off of me, you great lump!"

"Okay, okay," Sandpaw laughed. "I'm just glad that you're not mad at me."

"How could I _ever_ be mad at you, Sandpaw?" Moonpaw asked. "Now, if you could, help me find some herbs. We're running low on marigold, and that's the best thing for treating wounds. So if we had a battle-"

"Moonpaw, shush!" Sandpaw hissed quietly.

_Crunch!_ Some twigs crunched. Sandpaw heard a cat hiss quietly.

"Their camp . . . it's this way, right?"

"No . . . it's this way!"

"Once we find it, though, they'll wish that they hadn't lived there!"

_Intruders! I have to warn the camp!_ Sandpaw turned to Moonpaw, and gave her a look that said, _we have to get back to camp as fast as possible and as quietly as possible!_ Moonpaw seemed to understand, and the two sisters ran towards camp, without making a sound.

Once they got into camp, Sandpaw shouted, "Rogues are looking for the camp! Acornstar, help!"

Cats flooded out of the dens. Acornstar raced over.

"Rogues?" He asked.

"Yes!" Sandpaw and Moonpaw meowed. "They were looking for camp!"

"Most warriors are out on patrols . . ." Acornstar meowed. "Cherrypaw, Maplepaw, Birchpaw, help the queens and elders hide in the medicine cat's den, okay?"

The three new apprentices raced off and helped their friends over to the medicine cat's den, along with the elders and queens.

"Firestalker, Dustfang, Ivyclaw, Thornpaw, Saltpaw, Spidershade, Mudheart, Brightdream, Tigerfire, Berrypaw, Burningdawn and Nightpaw!" Acornstar called. Prepare for battle!"

The camp was suddenly filled with cats, clan cats and rogues. "Attack!" The battle cry came, and all of the cats started fighting.

Sandpaw leaped at a gray tomcat and pinned him down. He growled and tried to bite at her throat. Sandpaw ducked out of the way and Saltpaw tackled the tom. Sandpaw noticed a black she cat clawing at a silver she cat. _Moonpaw!_ Sandpaw rammed into the side of the she cat, sending her flying away from Moonpaw. Moonpaw whispered thanks in Sandpaw's ear as she passed before scampering over to the medicine cat's den. Sandpaw kept her eyes fixed on the black she cat. She jumped, claws extended, and dug her claws into the she cat's side. The black cat yowled and pawed feebly at Sandpaw's belly. Sandpaw let the she cat go, and watched her run off before searching for another cat to fight.

A gray and black tom clawed at Sandpaw, missing her by a whisker. Sandpaw hissed and swiped at the tom. He tried to dodge, but_ he_ wasn't trained to be a warrior. Sandpaw's claws connected with the tom's muzzle, splattering warm, scarlet blood across the ground. The tom howled in pain, his eyes wide with fear.

"You're the one!" He gasped. "Y-you're the golden light of day!" The tom turned tail and raced out of camp, leaving a trail of crimson behind him.

* * *

**What was that rogue at the end talking about? Could he know anything about the prophecy? Who knows! I do!**

**Can I please have three reviews? Pretty please? Thanks!**

**And once this story is done, if you want to see another Warriors story, then please vote on the poll on my profile. Thanks!**


	13. Warnings and the Silver Light

**Hey, I got some reviews, and got home from my grandparents house and back to internet connection... so... here's another chapter!**

**Also, happy Easter! (if you celebrate Easter...)**

**I don't own Warriors... though I wish I did...**

* * *

"Sandpaw? Sandpaw, are you alright?" Sandpaw opened her eyes.

"What happened?" Sandpaw whispered.

"You fainted during the battle. I thought I had lost you Sandpaw!" Moonpaw meowed, licking her sister's head.

"You can't get rid of me _that_ easily," Sandpaw laughed.

"Sandpaw, what happened to you?" Moonpaw asked. "You were fighting one moment, and the next, you were on the ground!"

"I don't know," Sandpaw admitted. "I don't remember fainting."

"Oh, Sandpaw," Moonpaw meowed. "Thornpaw and Saltpaw are looking for you. Should I let them in?"

"Sure," Sandpaw meowed, sitting up.

Moonpaw left for a moment, and the next moment, Saltpaw came running in with Thornpaw right behind him.

"Sandpaw!" Thornpaw and Saltpaw both called. "Are you okay?"

"I'm _fine_," Sandpaw purred.

"Now out!" Fallingheart meowed. "She's in here for a reason, you know!"

"I'll bring you some prey," Thornpaw whispered to Sandpaw. Sandpaw purred and licked his cheek. Thornpaw blushed before scampering away. Saltpaw followed him, much slower though.

"Sandpaw," Fallingheart meowed. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Sandpaw meowed. _A cat called me the golden light of day, just like in the prophecy. But you don't know about that._

"Okay, here," Fallingheart placed a few tiny, black seeds in front of Sandpaw. "Eat these." Sandpaw licked up the seeds. A few moments later, she felt sleepy and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

_"Sandpaw!" Sandpaw looked around. She was surrounded by darkness. "Sandpaw!" Sandpaw couldn't find out who was calling for her. It seemed . . . familiar. Sandpaw looked around some more._

_Suddenly, blue flames and red flames and yellow and orange flames leaped up all around her. Sandpaw yowled in surprise. The fire swirled around her, lapping hungrily at her, trying to engulf her in flames._

_"Beware the fire of the water."_

_Sandpaw ran as soon as she saw an opening in the wall of flames. Suddenly, she heard a screech. Something came flying at her, trying to cut her throat._

_"Evil can be found in the darkness of the Raven's wing."_

That was a raven!_ Sandpaw thought as she continued running. Again, she was stopped. But this time, is was by thorns._

_"Don't let the love of the thorns keep you from your destiny."_

_Sandpaw pulled herself free, leaving little clumps of golden fur in the thorns. "Why are you giving me these warnings?" Sandpaw called out as she ran for her life. Suddenly, Sandpaw found herself in _another_ plant!_

_"Beware the twisting Ivy; let the mask of the moon help you."_

_Suddenly, in the sky, a moon appeared, killing the ivy that was trying to strangle Sandpaw. Suddenly, everything was dark again._

_"And most of all, stay away from the Dark Forest. They hunt your every paw step, tracking you down and trying to corner you. Let the golden light of day consume you, and save your clan Sandpaw."_

Sandpaw's eyes flashed open. _Another warning. I need to talk to Moonpaw._ Sandpaw looked around. Her sister was sleeping. Sandpaw looked over at the sky. It was jet black, except for the stars that twinkled and the bright moon that glowed. Sandpaw sighed. _What am I supposed to do?_

Sandpaw raced through the forest with Thornpaw and Saltpaw and Splashpaw. They were sent out to hunt for the elders. Sandpaw had Thornpaw on one side of her and Saltpaw on the other. Splashpaw was on Thornpaw's other side.

"So, where are we hunting?" Sandpaw asked.

"Near the river," Thornpaw answered.

Once they got there, they all separated and hunted. Sandpaw took down a few water voles and a squirrel. The she saw a pair of eyes, glowing silver, watching her. Sandpaw crept forward.

"Hello?" Sandpaw asked. "Who's there?"

"I have come," The cat meowed.

"Why?"

"I have come to warn you."

"About what?"

"Your destiny."

"What about it?"

"It was _wrong_. StarClan was _wrong_. They got the wrong cat. Forget everything they told you."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because they _sent_ me here."

Sandpaw stared at the glowing eyes. The cat still didn't show them self. _How could StarClan be wrong? Am I not special?_

"I see you believe me."

"I don't."

"You know you do, deep down in you heart you _know_ I'm right."

"Shut up and get off of my territory!" Sandpaw hissed, swiping at the unknown cat.

"You shall fall, golden light, when the silver light chooses another path. When the vine entangles her, and her sight is filled with smoke, you will see her chose. And you shall become _heartbroken_ without your silver light."

_Silver light? What is he talking about?_

"I have to go now, golden light. Watch your silver light closely, or she may choose _wrong_."

And with that last note, the unknown cat was gone. It was if it vanished into thin air.

"That was weird," Sandpaw muttered to herself.

"Sandpaw!" Thornpaw called. "Where are you?"

"I'm right here!" Sandpaw meowed, running over to him.

"Are you ready to head back?"

"Yes. Where's Saltpaw? And Splashpaw?"

"I already sent them back to camp."

"Oaky, good."

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"Something's wrong, Sandpaw. I know you well enough to see that."

"Oh Thornpaw! This cat came and told me that StarClan was _wrong!_ I don't know who to listen to!"

"Listen to your heart."

"What?"

"What does your heart tell you is right?"

"S-StarClan."

"Then they _are_ right."

"But the cat said that StarClan _sent_ them."

"That's mouse brained! Come on, let's get back to camp."

"Okay."

The two cats headed back to camp with their prey. _Oh StarClan, who's right? And who is this 'Silver __Light'?_

* * *

**Wow. It's not copyright at _all_ by using something from another fan fiction... don't worry, I already talked with OverLord, and she said that I could use the Silver Light. Did I mention to read her story too?**

**Can I have three reviews? Pretty pretty please? Thanks!**

**Until next time, happy Easter (and or whatever it could also be!)**


	14. A New, Unexpected Enemy

**Hey, I'm back! I didn't get three reviews... but... I know I Am The OverLord will review so, I'm happy! Thank you to everyone who _has_ reviewed sometime, you all make me happier.**

**I do not own Warriors. On with the chapter!**

* * *

"Sandpaw!" Sandpaw looked around. Moonpaw was running over to her.

"Yes Moonpaw?" Sandpaw asked.

"I need to talk with you," Moonpaw meowed. "Alone," She added when Thornpaw looked like he was going to some too.

"Sure," Sandpaw meowed, casting a sorry glance at Thornpaw, who shrugged it off and carried his prey over to the pile. Sandpaw brought the rabbit with her as she followed her sister over to the medicine cat's den.

"What is it?" Sandpaw asked as she bit into the rabbit. I

Moonpaw purred happily. Then she became serious and meowed, "I had a dream from StarClan. It was a warning. _When times are hardest, and the Acorn shall fall from its home in the tree. The golden light of the day warms the hearts of the cats, and protects them through their lives. Evil can be found in the darkness of the Raven's wing. The darkness of the night calms and soothes the daylight, matching its light with the pure light of darkness. And when it is needed, StarClan's Light shall appear._ What do you think it means?"

"Oh . . . StarClan . . ." Sandpaw meowed. "That's almost the same message that I got! I got, _when times are hardest, and the Acorn shall fall from its home in the tree. The golden light of the day warms the hearts of the cats, and protects them through their lives. Evil can be found in the darkness of the Raven's wing and love can be found, even in the sharpest of the thorns. The darkness of the night calms and soothes the daylight, matching its light with the pure light of darkness. Trust it, and save the clan, StarClan's light._ Do _you_ know what it means?"

"Wait . . ." Moonpaw meowed. "Your message called _you_ StarClan's Light. A-are _you_ really StarClan's Light?"

"I-I don't know," Sandpaw admitted. "I _thought_ that I was, but then a cat came, and I-it told me that StarClan had sent it to tell me that . . . that they were _wrong_ and that I'm _not_ StarClan's Light. B-but they _did_ call me the golden light. And _that's_ still in the prophecy, right?"

"Oh my gosh," Moonpaw meowed. "Oh my . . . my sister's part of a prophecy! That's _so_ cool!"

Sandpaw sighed with relief. She thought that Moonpaw might be . . . _different_ around her now. It didn't seem like it.

"Come on, eat with me!" Sandpaw pestered.

"Fine!" Moonpaw laughed.

The two sisters ate their rabbit before she padded over to the apprentices den after saying good night to Moonpaw. Sandpaw then laid down next to Thornpaw. Thornpaw started purring in his sleep. _I wonder what he's dreaming about._ Sandpaw quickly fell asleep listening to his gentle purr.

In the morning, Sandpaw woke up with the sunlight in her eyes. She looked around den and noticed that Thornpaw _and_ Saltpaw were both missing. _I wonder where they are._ Sandpaw padded out of the den. Illumanatedpath was sitting beneath the SkyStone, looking faintly _plump_.

"Sandpaw!" Illumanatedpath called when she noticed her apprentice. "We're going hunting in a little bit, okay?"

"Sure!" Sandpaw called back to her mentor.

"Sandpaw!" Moonpaw called to her sister.

"Yes?" Sandpaw asked, padding over.

"I got a message from StarClan!" Moonpaw whispered in a soft voice.

"Why are you telling _me_ this?" Sandpaw asked. "Isn't it like . . . a secret?"

"I think that it has something to do with our warning!" Moonpaw meowed.

"Come with me," Sandpaw meowed, walking over behind the apprentices den. Once they were there, Sandpaw meowed, "What's the message?"

"StarClan told me," Moonpaw meowed. "_The vines will entangle the Silver Light, filling her vision with smoke. But she may be set free by the Golden Light of day, shining through the smoke and erasing it from her sight. Whether or not the Silver Light is free, a new mist will rise._ What do you think it means?"

"Um . . ." Sandpaw paused to think. _Vines . . . entangling the Silver Light. That's just like from that warning that that one cat gave me! You shall fall, golden light, when the silver light chooses another path. When the vine entangles her, and her sight is filled with smoke, you will see her chose. And you shall become _heartbroken_ without your silver light._ "Moonpaw, there's something that I have to tell you too. It is what that one cat- you remember, when we were talking before, it's what they told me."

"What is it?" Moonpaw asked.

"They told me," Sandpaw meowed. "_You shall fall, golden light, when the silver light chooses another path. When the vine entangles her, and her sight is filled with smoke, you will see her chose. And you shall become _heartbroken_ without your silver light._ What do you think _that_ means? It's sort of the same thing, except it's a warning about helping the Silver Light given to me, like the one given to you."

"I think that... maybe we're supposed to help the Silver Light," Moonpaw meowed.

"That makes sense," Sandpaw meowed. "But from _what?_ There are no vines, and if there was a _fire_ then there would be _smoke_. And who _is_ the Silver Light?"

"I don't know," Moonpaw meowed.

"Maybe _you're_ the Silver Light," Sandpaw meowed. Before Moonpaw could protest, Sandpaw continued. "You _are_ a silver cat, and if _I'm_ the Golden Light, it only makes sense that you're the _Silver_ Light."

"Maybe..." Moonpaw muttered. "But probably not..."

"Sandpaw!" Illumanatedpath called. "Sandpaw, where are you?"

"Have to go!" Sandpaw meowed quickly. "I need to talk to you some more. Later, okay? When I'm back, I'll come to get you and we'll go out to the forest." Moonpaw nodded, and Illuminatedpath called again. Sandpaw responded, "I'm coming!" Then she raced away, and Moonpaw padded over to the medicine cat's den.

"Are you ready?" Illumanatedpath meowed.

"Yes!" Sandpaw responded.

Before anyone could leave, or even _move_, a cat burst through the camp entrance. It was Mothpaw, her eyes were wild and her pelt was covered in blood and ripped.

"Help!" Mothpaw screeched. "CliffClan's attacking!"

* * *

**Ooh! Interesting! _CliffClan_ is attacking this time, not _RavenClan_. RavenClan is sort of like ShadowClan, but _worse_ like the Dark Forest.**

**How will the cats react? Will Sandpaw fight? _Who_ will she fight? And what about that one CliffClan cat that she met, will he be there?**

**If anyone wants another Warriors story after this, vote on my profile page!**

**And please can I have three more reviews? Thank you people!**


	15. Fighting Breaks Out!

**Hello all of my readers! Sorry it took four days to update, I was waiting for three reviews. And now that I got them, I updated! If anyone hasn't voted on my poll, please do so! (I really need to tell my Yugioh and Yugioh 5ds fans that too...)**

**I do not own Warriors! If I did, it would be very different. Very, _very_ different. Yeah...**

* * *

"What?" Illuminatedpath and Sandpaw both gasped.

Acornstar came running out of his den, Wolfcall also raced over.

"What happened?" Acornstar asked.

"We were... attacked," Mothpaw meowed. "We were marking the border, and CliffClan just came out of _nowhere_ and attacked us! For no reason at all, we were still on our own border!"

"Wolfcall, you shall lead a patrol up there," Acornstar ordered. "Take Illuminatedpath, Sandpaw, Thornpaw, Ivyclaw, Firestalker, Dustfang, Jayflower, Maplepaw, Aspenstorm, Hazelflower, Larkflight, Fogstep, Splashpaw, Lionfoot, Berrypaw, Swiftpaw and Flamestorm. Go, now!"

"Leopardleap, Minttail and Rabbitwhisker need my help," Mothpaw meowed as she hobbled over towards the entrance.

"No," Acornstar meowed. "Go with Moonpaw to the medicine cat's den. Okay?" Mothpaw nodded and followed Moonpaw.

Sandpaw watched them go before running after her mentor and her clan mates. They ran to the CliffClan border and Wolfcall let out a battle call. The battle started, and all of the cats clawed and hissed. Sandpaw spotted Illuminatedpath get knocked to the ground by a ginger she cat, and the she cat was trying to bite her throat. _No!_ But before Sandpaw could run over to her mentor, a black flash of fur knocked the ginger she cat off of Illuminatedpath. _Blackfang? But he's a CliffClan cat!_

"What are you doing Blackfang?" The ginger she cat spat. "I almost had her!"

"Warriors don't need to kill to win a battle, Squirrelshade," Blackfang replied.

"You're a weakling!" Squirrelshade spat. "I _knew_ you loved that pitiful excuse for a cat more than your own clan, more than me!"

"I never loved you Squirrelshade!" Blackfang hissed. "Never even _thought_ about loving you!"

"You are no CliffClan cat Blackfang!" Squirrelshade hissed. "You _can't_ love a cat from another clan! It's against the Warrior Code!"

"Oh, and _killing_ cats isn't against the code?" Sandpaw hissed, leaping to Blackfang's defense. "Blackfang is much more of a warrior than you could ever _hope_ to be!"

"That means _so_ much," Squirrelshade spat, "Coming from a SandClan _kit!_"

"Squirrelshade," Blackfang spat, "You don't know what it means to be a warrior! You can't just _kill_ cats! You that tiny, _tiny_ thing you call a brain and _think!_ It's against the code!"

"Maybe times are changing," Squirrelshade whispered.

"The warrior code will always stay!" Illuminatedpath meowed. "Nothing can get rid of the code!"

"And everyone always thought that no one could _break_ the code either," Squirrelshade hissed. "But what do we have here, two code breakers and a worthless apprentice - kit!"

Sandpaw couldn't take it any more. She sprang at the ginger cat, knocking her off of her paws, and pinned her down, clawing at the soft fur of her belly. Squirrelshade screeched on fury, shock and pain. Sandpaw jumped back and let the ginger cat run away. Before Sandpaw knew it, the battle was over.

"Wait, there's another!" Fogstep hissed, charging at Blackfang.

"_Wait!_" Illuminatedpath screeched. "He's on _our_ side!"

"What do you mean?" Acornstar meowed.

"I mean," Illuminatedpath meowed, "He... is my mate." Gasps of shocked cats rang out. A moment later, she continued, "A cat named Squirrelshade would've killed me if Blackfang wouldn't have saved me. I owe him my _life_."

"Blackfang, are you willing to join SandClan to be with Illuminatedpath?" Acornstar asked.

"Yes," Blackfang responded. Many cats gasped. Acornstar's letting an enemy cat join SandClan?

"Than you shall join," Acornstar meowed. "Wolfcall and Yellowfur will mentor you in the ways of a SandClan cat, and one of them will always be with you to see if you will remain loyal."

"Thank you, Acornstar," Blackfang meowed, dipping his head in respect.

Blackfang then joined Illuminatedpath as the clan headed back to camp. Sandpaw followed, her side hurting from a cut on it that was still bleeding. Thornpaw limped beside her; his paw was bleeding and crimson with blood. Thornpaw entwined his tail with Sandpaw's, and for once, Sandpaw didn't mind. But she did hear Ivyclaw hiss from somewhere behind her, and she could feel Ivyclaw's eyes trying to burn into her back. They soon got back to camp, and Fallingheart was racing around, treating the cats. Moonpaw ran over to Sandpaw and Thornpaw. Saltpaw followed her.

"Oh my, what happened to you Sandpaw?" Moonpaw gasped. "Did you try fighting a cat, say, twice your size?"

"Maybe," Sandpaw muttered, thinking about Squirrelshade. She _was_ a pretty big she cat...

"Saltpaw, do you think that you could wrap up Thornpaw's paw, _carefully?_" Moonpaw meowed. "And no fighting _please_, I don't want more cats lined up to see me for treatment!"

"Fine," Saltpaw muttered, grabbing some cobwebs and wrapping Thornpaw's paw.

"Thank you," Moonpaw meowed. "And Sandpaw, come this way, I need to get more marigold."

"Okay," Sandpaw meowed, following her sister.

Moonpaw cleaned Sandpaw's would, then she wrapped it in cobwebs and marigold. Moonpaw made sure that she told Saltpaw how to apply the marigold before she had left.

"Sandpaw, I had another warning," Moonpaw whispered.

_"Thorns have claws, _

_That scratch the Salt, _

_But really it is, _

_Neither's fault._

_The Salt bites back,_

_The next move done,_

_The Golden Light,_

_Must stop their cruel fun."_

"What do you think it means?" Moonpaw asked.

"The 'Thorns'... Thornpaw?" Sandpaw meowed. "And the 'Salt' is Saltpaw!"

"Thornpaw and Saltpaw... fighting," Moonpaw meowed. "And the Golden Light, that would be you, must stop their cruel... fun. Sandpaw, you have to keep Saltpaw and Thornpaw from fighting!"

"How?" Sandpaw wailed. "They _hate_ each other!"

"That's only because they both _really_ like you!" Moonpaw meowed.

_They both really like... me? Why me? Why not... Ivyclaw! Or at least someone else!_ "I-I... um..."

Just then, a screech came from outside of the medicine cat's den. Sandpaw and Moonpaw both raced out to see what it was. In the center of the camp, a light tabby and a white cat were both rolling around, screeching and clawing each other.

"Thornpaw, Saltpaw, _stop!_" Sandpaw screeched. She ran over to them. They didn't stop. She tried to pull them apart without getting herself clawed a lot, but that was no use either. _The Golden Light, must stop their cruel fun..._

"Why won't you two listen to me?" Sandpaw screeched. But Thornpaw and Saltpaw were both to locked in combat to hear. Sandpaw fumed. "I hate you, both of you!"

Sandpaw stormed out of camp. The fighting broke up. Thornpaw and Saltpaw stared after her. Moonpaw ran over to the two toms.

"Thornpaw, go after her," Moonpaw meowed.

"What about me?" Saltpaw whined.

"Sandpaw knows her feelings, and I know them too," Moonpaw meowed. "I'm sorry, Saltpaw, but Thornpaw was here first, and he has always liked her and comforted her when she's feeling down. Go to her, Thornpaw."

Thornpaw nodded and ran out of camp. Sandpaw jumped up into the Twisted Tree. She climbed up as high as she could go before stopping.

"Why do they hate each other so much?" Sandpaw mewed to herself. "And why do they both like _me?_ There's nothing special about me! Except for... the prophecy. Why can't I be a normal cat, with only one love and a normal life?"

"Sandpaw," Thornpaw whispered from behind her. Sandpaw turned around, arching her back.

"What do you want?" Sandpaw meowed. "Have you come to tell me that it wasn't your fault that the fighting started, and that Saltpaw is to blame?"

"No," Thornpaw meowed quietly, shaking his head. "I have come to apologize for fighting. I know that you and Saltpaw are friends, and I shouldn't fight with your friends."

"I'm sorry too," Sandpaw meowed. "I-I shouldn't have said that I hate you, or Saltpaw. I don't mean it."

"I know," Thornpaw meowed, licking Sandpaw between her ears. For once when someone did that that wasn't her mom or dad, or her sister, Sandpaw purred. She pressed herself against Thornpaw and purred.

* * *

**Aww, Sandpaw and Thornpaw made up! So sweet, they like each other again!**

**Can I have three reviews please? The person who gives me the 50th review gets a Sandpaw plushie! (If you don't know what those are, PM me!)**

**So yeah, please review!**


	16. A Quarter Moon!

**Hey, I got my reviews, and I am now going to update! Yay!**

**I do not own Warriors.**

* * *

Sandpaw and Thornpaw headed back to camp, their tail entwined. Saltpaw was speaking with Acornstar, and Acornstar beckoned for Thornpaw to come over to. Thornpaw nodded and padded over. Sandpaw headed over to the medicine cat's den.

"Moonpaw?" Sandpaw called in.

Sandpaw noticed Moonpaw's blue eyes glowing in the darkness.

"Moonpaw?"

"Yes Sandpaw?"

"Did you send Thornpaw after me?"

"Why would you say that?"

"I-I... I don't know."

"Yes, I did."

"Did you keep Saltpaw from coming?"

"Yes."

"... Thanks ..."

"Your welcome. You _did_ stop their fighting, though."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the SkyStone for a clan meeting!" Acornstar's deep mew rang out in the clearing. Sandpaw looked at Moonpaw, and she shrugged. The two sisters padded out into the clearing.

Once all of the cats gathered, Acornstar continued, "Today is a good day for SandClan. We have two new warriors. Berrypaw, Swiftpaw, please step forward."

The two apprentices looked shocked, but they padded forward anyway.

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have tried hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Berrypaw, Swiftpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do!" Berrypaw meowed, excited as a kit.

"I do," Swiftpaw meowed, bowing his head respectfully.

"Furzelight, Tigerfire, are Berrypaw and Swiftpaw ready to become warriors?"

"Berrypaw was _born_ ready," Tigerfire meowed, his voice full of pride.

"And Swiftpaw is an over the top learner, fighter and hunter, and he shall excel as a warrior," Furzelight meowed.

"Then by the powers infested in me as your leader, I give you your warrior names."

"Berrypaw!" Acornstar called. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Berryblaze. StarClan honors your courage and strength, and we welcome you as a full member of SandClan."

"Swiftpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Swiftflight. StarClan honors your wisdom and quick thinking, and we welcome you as a full member of SandClan."

"Berryblaze! Swiftflight! Berryblaze! Swiftflight! Berryblaze! Swiftflight!"

Berryblaze and Swiftflight both licked Acornstar's shoulder and padded over to sit by their ex - mentors.

"I have one more ceremony that I want to perform," Acornstar called. "Flarekit, Flashkit and Lightningkit, please come forward."

The three toms padded forward, their eyes glowing with happiness and excitement.

"By the powers of StarClan, I name you Flarepaw," Acornstar meowed to Flarekit. He turned to the crowd. "Aspenstorm, you shall mentor Flarepaw. Teach him all he knows to become a warrior."

"Flarepaw! Flarepaw! Flarepaw!"

"Flashkit, you shall be known as Flashpaw. Rabbitwhisker, you shall mentor young Flashpaw. Pass on all of your skills to him, and make him a warrior that the clan can be proud of."

"Flashpaw! Flashpaw! Flashpaw!"

"Lightningkit, you shall know be known as Lightningpaw. Yellowfur, you shall mentor young Lightningpaw. Teach him everything he needs to know about becoming a warrior."

"Lightningpaw! Lightningpaw! Lightningpaw!"

Sandpaw smiled as she called her friends new names. _The nursery is almost empty. Well, Illuminatedpath may be joining Squirrelpad sometime. Also, Minttail was looking a little plump. Maybe she'll be having kits soon too._ Sandpaw snuggled against Thornpaw, who had come to sit by her.

"We'll have kits like that someday," Thornpaw meowed. "Just... later. When we're older."

"Sure," Sandpaw purred. "Once I've been a warrior for a while. _Then_ maybe."

Thornpaw seemed happy with the answer, and he and Sandpaw padded back into the apprentices den. Saltpaw's white pelt was already curled up in a mossy nest. Sandpaw padded over to him.

"We're still friends, right?" Sandpaw whispered to Saltpaw.

"Always," Saltpaw whispered back. "But you should still know how I feel about you."

"I _do_ know," Sandpaw meowed. "And I'm so very sorry, but I don't feel the same way. But I'm _sure_ that you'll find someone in this clan to call your own."

Saltpaw laughed. "_Right..._"

_He doesn't know how Sweetkit feels about him, how much she watches him, how much she wishes that she was his..._

Sandpaw purred and curled up in her nest. _Life is good. I can't wait until I become a warrior!_ Sandpaw quickly fell into an undisturbed, dreamless sleep.

The next morning, the sunlight filtered into Sandpaw's eyes, waking her up.

"Sandpaw..." Sandpaw heard some one whispering to her. "Sandpaw..."

Sandpaw looked around. No one, nothing.

"Hello?" Sandpaw whispered back.

"Sandpaw...

_Beware the evil,_

_That hides in the dark,_

_It wants to consume you,_

_The Light- destroyed by the bark._

_But the Light has friends,_

_The dark only has claws,_

_The Light unites with help,_

_While the dark is full of flaws._

_To destroy the dark,_

_You must beat the Shark,_

_Cut the Ivy,_

_And destroy the Bark._

It is your destiny, Sandpaw..."

Sandpaw looked around. No other cat seemed to have heard the prophecy. _What does it mean?_ Sandpaw headed over to the fresh kill pile, grabbing some prey and gulping it down. Moonpaw padded over and sat next to her.

"Hello Sandpaw!"

"Hi Moonpaw. I have something important to tell you."

"Another warning?"

"Yes... more like a prophecy. And it rhymes!"

"Well... what is it?"

"_Beware the evil, that hides in the dark, it wants to consume you, the Light- destroyed by the bark. But the Light has friends, the dark only has claws, the Light unites with help, while the dark is full of flaws. To destroy the dark, you must beat the Shark, cut the Ivy, and destroy the Bark._ What do you think that it means?"

"I don't know. There is not 'Bark' in our clan, so it is either from another clan... to a rogue. And what in the name of StarClan is a 'Shark'? And the 'Ivy'? I only know of Ivyclaw... but it could be another Ivy."

"I'll keep my eye on Ivyclaw anyway."

"That would probably be a good idea."

Just then, Thornpaw came running over. "Sandpaw! Sandpaw! I have something important to tell you!"

"Yes Thornpaw?" Sandpaw meowed.

"I could become a warrior!" Thornpaw meowed. "By tomorrow, I could be a warrior!"

"T-that's wonderful," Sandpaw meowed, trying to hide the sadness in her voice.

Thornpaw caught it though. "Don't worry, you'll be joining me soon enough. And I won't take any other mate! Not until you're ready."

"I know," Sandpaw meowed. "And I won't be sad, don't worry."

Thornpaw nodded, licking Sandpaw between her ears before racing out of the camp after his mentor. Sandpaw said good bye to Moonpaw before leaving for some training with Illuminatedpath.

"Sandpaw, I think that you are almost ready to become a warrior," Illuminatedpath told her.

"Really?" Sandpaw meowed.

"Yes. And I might... well... not be... in the warriors den... for much longer. You see... I-I think that... I'm..."

"Having Blackfang's kits?"

"How'd you know? Is it that obvious?"

"No, I've just seen the way that you act around him... and expected that..."

"Well, you're good at guessing!"

"So wait... I shouldn't be becoming a warrior for another half moon."

"But if you train really hard, and do really well in hunting... then you may be able to become a warrior in say... a quarter moon?"

"Oh my StarClan, really?"

"Yes. I think that you are ready."

* * *

**She's ready! ... to become a warrior! Yay! She'll probably become a warrior in the next chapter... oh, and Thornpaw too.**

**Can I please have three reviews? Please? (would it be too much to ask for four reviews?"**

**Next time... warriors!**


	17. New Warriors

**Hey! I am back! After only three days! (that... sounds sad.) I didn't get three reviews, but OverLord will review once she reads it!**

**I do not own Warriors! Yay! (that too is sad!)**

* * *

"I'm almost ready!" Sandpaw cried happily as she ran through the forest. She was carrying a rabbit, three birds and five mice. "I am the _best_ hunter in the world!"

"No, _I_ am!" Flashpaw called to Sandpaw, running past her.

"How did you get so _fast?_" Sandpaw called.

"Why do you think that I was named 'Flashkit'?" Flashpaw laughed. "So, when are you becoming a warrior?"

"Well, probably in the next few sunrises," Sandpaw responded.

Sandpaw thought back to Thornpaw's warrior ceremony...

_"From this day forward, you shall be known as Thornheart. StarClan honors your courage and skills and we welcome you as a full member of SandClan."_

_"Thornheart! Splashflame! Nightshadow! Ravenwing! Mothstream! Thornheart! Splashflame! Nightshadow! Ravenwing! Mothstream! Thornheart! Splashflame! Nightshadow! Ravenwing! Mothstream!"_

_Sandpaw cheered with all of her heart. Her rival, her love, was now a warrior! As Sandpaw watched Thornheart, she could see the love in his eyes, and she could almost feel the pride radiating off of his pelt._

"I'll be a warrior soon enough!" Sandpaw meowed. "You know... I wonder what I'll be called..."

"Sand_storm?_ Sand_cloud?_ Sand... _shade?_" Flashpaw thought out loud. "No... Sand... um...! Sand... _whiskers!_"

Sandpaw had to laugh. "I don't think that I'll be called Sand_whiskers_. Maybe _Sandy_whiskers, but not _Sand_whiskers."

"Just you wait," Flashpaw laughed. "Karma will strike, and then you'll be Sandwhiskers!"

Sandpaw purred with laughter as she and Flashpaw headed back to camp with their fresh kill.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the SkyStone for a clan meeting!" Sandpaw looked up to see Acornstar gazing down at her, his eyes full of pride.

Once all of the cats were gathered, Acornstar continued, "I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

"Illuminatedpath, is Sandpaw ready to become a warrior?"

"Acornstar, she wouldn't be here right now if she wasn't ready. She will be a warrior that the clan can be proud of," Illuminatedpath meowed, pride almost choking her mew.

"Ferretleg, what about Thistlepaw?"

"He's stubborn, but he is ready to become a warrior," Ferretleg meowed.

"Sandpaw, Thistlepaw, step forward. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your clan, even at the costs of your lives?"

"I do," Sandpaw meowed, pride almost choking her mew.

"I do," Thistlepaw meowed. For once, he wasn't being stubborn.

"The by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Thistlepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Thistlepelt. StarClan honors your bravery and your fighting skills, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SandClan."

"Sandpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Sandtail. StarClan honors your thoughtful thinking and your spirit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SandClan."

"Thistlepelt! Sandtail! Thistlepelt! Sandtail! Thistlepelt! Sandtail!"

Sandtail licked Acornstar's shoulder and then looked to the crowd of cats, calling them by their new names. She quickly found Thornheart, and she watched as he called her name loudly, with all of his heart.

"One more cat is ready to become a warrior of SandClan!" Acornstar's loud meow echoed throughout the camp.

"Saltpaw, please step forward. I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Saltpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend your clan, your _new_ clan SandClan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Saltpaw's voice held no regret.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Saltpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Saltwave. StarClan honors your willingness to learn, and your courage in battle, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SandClan."

"Saltwave!" Sandtail was the first to call his name, followed by Sweetkit, now Sweetpaw, and Thornheart. Soon the whole clan joined in. "Saltwave! Saltwave!"

Sweetpaw ran up to Saltwave and pushed her muzzle against his shoulder. At first, he looked surprised, but then his eyes softened and he purred.

"Congratulations Sandtail," Thornheart meowed.

"Thanks Thornheart," Sandtail meowed. "I'll be joining you tomorrow in the warriors den."

"I'll wait for you. Good night," Thornheart purred as he padded away.

"Sandtail, Saltwave, Thistlepelt," Acornstar called. "You three shall guard the camp in silence, thinking about what it means to be a warrior. Alert the camp if there's any trouble."

Sandtail nodded. _I will protect my clan, even at the cost of my life!_ Sandtail took her position silently and watched the outside. Thistlepelt sat a few paw steps away, watching the forest, his eyes full of the pride of being a warrior. Saltwave sat closer to Sandtail than Thistlepelt, but not close enough for their pelts to brush.

The night was cold, but Sandtail kept her unusually long, fluffy tail wrapped around her short furred body. Saltwave's longer pelt kept him warm, and Thistlepelt didn't seem to notice the cold, and if he _did_ notice, he didn't seem to care.

Finally, the sun came up. Acornstar padded out of his den and over to the new warriors.

"You may speak," Acornstar purred.

"Thank you, Acornstar," Sandtail meowed.

"Off to the warrior's den, you three. And make sure you get something good to eat too," Acornstar meowed. "Be up at around sunhigh for a patrol or hunting party, and then you can go and rest again, okay?"

"Yes," Saltwave and Sandtail meowed while Thistlepelt dipped his head.

The three new warriors padded over to the warrior's den. Sandtail poked her head in. _Amazing!_ Thornheart motioned her over towards him.

"Here Sandtail," Thornheart meowed. "I made you a nest next to mine and Nightshadow's."

"Thanks," Sandtail yawned.

"Great job Sandtail," Nightshadow meowed.

"Thanks Nightshadow," Sandtail replied, lying down in her new nest.

"Well, I have a patrol," Nightshadow meowed, standing and stretching. "See ya later!"

"Okay," Sandtail mumbled, half asleep.

"See you soon Sandtail," Thornheart meowed. "Hunt with me at sunhigh, okay?"

"Okay," Sandtail meowed, falling asleep as she listened to Thornheart leave the den.

* * *

**And... they're warriors! Yay! Sorry if anyone's dissapointed about the name, it was made up a _long_ time before I had even _heard_ of !**

**(I feel guilty about telling my Warriors fans about the poll, and not my Yugioh/5Ds fans... guilt eats you alive!)**

**Can I pretty, _pretty_ please have four reviews before the next chapter? Please please please _please!_ Whoever reviews gets a cookie!**


	18. Meeting Forbiden Loves

**Thank you for all of the nice reviews, everyone who reviewed! You guys are amazing, and you made me so happy that I'm going to post the new chapter today! (It's early in the morning for me... don't know where any of _you_ people live...)**

**I do not own Warriors. _Do I even have to say this anymore?_**

* * *

Sandtail woke up at sunhigh. Saltwave and Thistlepelt were stretching awake. Sandtail purred and left the den. She quickly spotted Thornheart near the entrance.

"Thornheart!" She called, running over.

"Sandtail!" Thornheart mewed, brightening up.

"Are you two going hunting?" Wolfcall's deep meowed sounded behind Sandtail.

"Yes," Thornheart answered.

"Good luck then," Wolfcall meowed.

Thornheart and Sandtail dipped their heads to the deputy before leaving camp. They walked in silence for a little while before Thornheart broke the silence.

"Where do you want to hunt?" Thornheart mewed.

"How about near the CliffClan border?" Sandtail suggested. "No one's been over there in a little while."

"Sure," Thornheart agreed. "Just keep your eyes open for CliffClan cats!"

The two friends ran through the forest towards the border. Sandtail spotted a plump rabbit hopping through the bushes. Sandtail flicked her tail for Thornheart to be silent before she started stalking the bunny rabbit. She crept through the grass, closing in on the rabbit that nibbled unknowingly at some grass. Sandtail then stepped on a small twig, which made a faint _crack!_ The rabbit's ears perked up and it spotted Sandtail. The rabbit took off, and Sandtail took off after it. _This rabbit's so big; it could feed all of the elders!_ Sandtail closed in on the rabbit, which seemed at be limping some because of a thorn in its foot. Sandtail caught up to the rabbit and finished it off with a quick bite to the neck.

Sandtail, happy with her catch, looked around. _Wow, I'm sort of close to the CliffClan border. If that rabbit would've run a few more fox-lengths, I would've crossed the border!_ Suddenly, Sandtail caught scent of a CliffClan cat. She buried her prey and sniffed around. She poked her head slightly out of a bush and spotted the cat. It was a dark gray tom with light gray on his muzzle, around his eyes and on the tip of his tail._ He crossed the border. Time to chase off an enemy._ That's when Sandtail noticed the lithe form of a she cat next to him. The silvery gray fur of the she cat was very familiar. Sandtail gasped in shock.

Sandtail jumped out of the bushes. "_Moonpaw?_"

Moonpaw and the tomcat turned around, their eyes wide. Moonpaw was the first to make any noise. "S-Sandtail? What are you doing here?"

"Hunting," Sandtail meowed. "What's _that_ doing here?"

"H-he's... I... we..."

"Moonpaw, how _could_ you? That's breaking the code!" Sandtail meowed. "Twice as much! You're a _medicine cat!_ You _can't_ have a mate!"

"Well... maybe it wasn't my _choice_ to be a medicine cat!" Moonpaw hissed. "I-I was told by StarClan, that I'm a medicine cat at heart! I heard it in a vision!"

"Anyway, it's not Moonpaw's fault that she's here," The tomcat meowed. "I asked her to come here. I fell in love with her, the moment that I saw her a few moons ago on a border patrol. You were there too, I think. Blackfang was talking with a she cat..."

"Oh my StarClan," Sandtail gasped. "You're that apprentice that Moonpaw was staring at! But... it's still against the code!"

"So what, you're going to turn us in?" Moonpaw asked.

"No!" Sandtail hissed. "I would _never_ hurt my sister like that! Just... why do you break the code?"

"Love," Moonpaw meowed simply. "Smokevine and I are in love."

_You shall fall, golden light, when the silver light chooses another path. When the vine entangles her, and her sight is filled with smoke, you will see her chose. And you shall become heartbroken without your silver light._ The words rang through Sandtail's mind. _The silver light... chooses another path? Like... love? When the vines entangles her, and her sight is filled with smoke, Smokevine, she will choose. She... she will chose love, because I'll be heartbroken without my younger sister._

"Moonpaw," Sandtail meowed. "I have something to tell you. Something _important_. Please, say good bye to... _Smokevine_."

Moonpaw sighed and whispered good bye to Smokevine. Smokevine licked her ears and left back to his territory. Moonpaw followed Sandtail over to the forest.

"What is it?" Moonpaw snapped.

"I had a warning about this," Sandtail growled. "A weird cat told me about it. _You shall fall, golden light, when the silver light chooses another path. When the vine entangles her, and her sight is filled with smoke, you will see her chose. And you shall become heartbroken without your silver light._ That's what it told me."

"And that just means that the rogue, or _whoever_, knows that I love Smokevine, and that he _will_ be my mate, even if that means I will have to leave to be with him," Moonpaw meowed.

"But... Moonpaw!" Sandtail meowed. "Then we won't be able to see each other ever again!"

"But... Sandtail! Why can't you understand? I _love_ him, just like you and Thornheart! I can't help my feelings! No cat can!" Moonpaw lashed her tail back and forth. "Why can't _I_ get to love another cat, when every other cat can? It's so _unfair!_"

"I know," Sandtail meowed. "But... that's just... how it is..."

"But you can't stop us from being in love," Moonpaw meowed. "We _will_ be together, just you wait Sandtail!"

Moonpaw turned around and ran into the forest. Thornheart came out of the bushes as Moonpaw ran past him.

"What's wrong with her?" Thornheart meowed.

"I... I seemed to have made her mad," Sandtail meowed. "We were so close as kits... but we both have such different paths... I'm just worried that she may leave me..."

"She'll always be close," Thornheart whispered. "Don't worry, Sandtail."

"Did you catch anything?" Sandtail asked, trying to change the subject.

"Yes, I caught three mice and a squirrel," Thornheart meowed. "And you?"

"I only caught that rabbit," Sandtail meowed. "Before I found Moonpaw."

"You caught that rabbit?" Thornheart meowed. "It started running away! It was _huge!_"

"Yea..." Sandtail meowed. "Hey, you want to head back? I'm... getting tired."

"Sure," Thornheart meowed.

So Sandtail and Thornheart headed back to camp after uncovering Sandtail's rabbit. Sandtail gave the rabbit and a mouse to the elders, Whiteface, Deafleaf and Brairsong. Then Sandtail headed over to her nest and curled up.

_Please, StarClan, don't let Moonpaw stay mad at me!_ Sandtail fell asleep after sitting awake for a long time, though her dreams were filled with nightmares about Moonpaw leaving her and running away to be with Smokevine. Smokevine kept smiling evilly at Sandtail, and Sandtail kept telling him to give her sister back.

* * *

**Ah, a forbiden love... poor Moonpaw, she's in love! With a cat from another clan! That _never_ ends well, in any of the Warriors books (usually).**

**And Smokevine... an unusual name, I know. I Am The OverLord made it up, and... yeah, we made up some cats from other clans together... and... yeah.**

**Can I have another four reviews please? _Pretty_ please?**


	19. New Kits and Warnings

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed! You guys all make me happy! This is chapter... 19? Well, if you haven't seen it on my profile, there will be at _least_ 25 chapters. At _least_.**

**Some people were wondering about Sandpaw/tail's name. She was named after the first leader of SandClan, after a she cat named Sand.**

**Some people were wondering why Sandtail didn't get a really cool name. I made it a few years ago, and I now decided to write a story about her. Anyway, Bluefur isn't the coolest name ever, and she still because the great Bluestar of ThunderClan!**

**I do not own Warriors. I hope that (^^) helps anyone who was asking those questions.**

* * *

Sandtail woke the next morning, gasping for breath. Smokevine had tried to kill her in her dreams, and she had felt the pain. Sandtail inspected herself, but found no wounds. _Must just be my imagination._ Sandtail headed out of the warriors den. Moonpaw and Fallingheart were both sitting outside of their den.

"There she is!" Sandtail heard Moonpaw meowed.

"Okay, but be back before sunhigh," Fallingheart meowed back.

Moonpaw came racing over to Sandtail meowing, "Hey Sandtail, want to collect some herbs with me?"

"Sure," Sandtail meowed. "You're not still mad at me, right?"

"Of _course_ I'm not mad at you!" Moonpaw meowed. "I made the mistake. But you _can't_ correct it, Sandtail, so don't even try, okay?"

"Fine," Sandtail grumbled as the two sisters left camp.

"Tonight's half moon," Moonpaw meowed. "Fallingheart said that if I try hard today, that I'll get my medicine cat name tonight!"

"That's great!" Sandtail purred. "No other cat deserves their name more than you Moonpaw, you've worked hard being a medicine cat."

"And Sandtail," Moonpaw meowed. "I... I... um..."

"Yes?" Sandtail meowed.

"N-nothing," Moonpaw meowed. "It's... nothing."

"Okay," Sandtail meowed.

The rest of the time the two cats walked in silence. They gathered some herbs, Moonpaw taught Sandtail how to, and then they headed back to camp. Thornheart quickly ran over to Sandtail and Moonpaw.

"Sandtail! Do you want to come hunting with me?" Thornheart meowed.

"Sure," Sandtail meowed.

So Sandtail and Thornheart headed out for some more sunhigh hunting. They returned to camp with five birds, three squirrels, a couple of mice, shrews and moles and another rabbit. Sandtail took a couple mice and headed over to the medicine cat's den. Sandtail gave a mouse to Fallingheart and one to Moonpaw before eating hers.

"I'll wait for you to come back," Sandtail meowed.

"Don't," Moonpaw laughed. "We won't be back until tomorrow!"

"Well, then come and tell me if _it_ happens!" Sandtail meowed.

Sandtail watched as Moonpaw left the camp with her mentor. _Hopefully she'll have her new name tomorrow._ Sandtail headed over to her nest and curled up next to Thornheart. Sandtail fell asleep fast, but her dreams were full of messages...

_Sandtail looked around._ Where am I?_ Sandtail took another step, but stopped when she felt something really hot on her paws._

_"Ow!" Sandtail yelped, jumping backwards._

_Beware the fire of the water._

_"That again?" Sandtail meowed. She turned and ran the other way._

_The water has flames,_

_The Raven has wings,_

_And the sharp little Ivy,_

_The darkness it brings,_

_Will fight against the light,_

_Will destroy a tree's seed,_

_But that will only happen,_

_If you think this warning you do not need._

_"Oh StarClan, what does _that_ mean?" _Sandtail woke from her sleep quickly, finding that morning had come around. Sandtail padded out of the den, looking to see if her sister had come back yet. _Yes! There she is!_ Sandtail raced over to Moonpaw.

"Moonpa- I mean... sister!" Sandtail meowed. "First... your name?"

"It is different," The silver cat laughed. "I'm Moon_mask_ now."

"Moonmask," Sandtail meowed. And then quietly she cheered, "Moonmask! Moonmask! Moonmask! Moonmask!"

"Yes?" Moonmask laughed.

"I got another warning from StarClan!" Sandtail meowed.

"I'm not supposed to tell you this but... I did too," Moonmask meowed.

"Let's go into the forest, I _really_ need to tell you this!" Sandtail exclaimed.

So Sandtail and Moonmask headed out into the forest.

"I was told:

_The water has flames,_

_The Raven has wings,_

_And the sharp little Ivy,_

_The darkness it brings,_

_Will fight against the light,_

_Will destroy a tree's seed,_

_But that will only happen,_

_If you think this warning you do not need._

What does it mean?"

"I don't know," Moonmask meowed. "But I got the same warning. And so did Fallingheart."

"Moonmask, what are you doing?" Fallingheart meowed sharply, coming out of the bushes.

"I-I..."

"You _know_ you're not allowed to tell other cats about our messages!"

"But Sandtail got the _same_ message last night!"

"Really?"

"I did," Sandtail meowed. "I've been telling Moonmask messages that I get for a while now."

"Have you figured out what any of it means?" Fallingheart meowed, her anger gone.

"Not yet," Sandtail meowed.

"Sandtail, how about you go do some hunting," Fallingheart meowed. "And Moonmask and I will collect some tansy, we're running out."

"Okay," Sandtail meowed. _I was hoping to talk to Moonmask more... but... okay._

Sandtail hunted until after sunhigh. She padded back to camp with her mouth full of prey. Sandtail looked around. Cats were all gathered and sitting close to the nursery, looking nervous.

"What's going on?" Sandtail meowed.

"Illuminatedpath's kitting!" Bronwfang meowed.

"Really?" Sandtail filled with pride for her former mentor. "I'll wait here to see her once it's over. It doesn't look like Fallingheart wants any more cats in there."

It took a while of waiting, and the apprentices soon got bored and left, but Sandtail waited. Then, she heard a small cry of a kit.

"It's a she kit!"

Sandtail's eyes glowed. She waited some more, and heard another kit.

"A tom! One more!"

Another cry sounded.

"Another tom!"

Fallingheart came out and told the clan the news, a she kit and two toms. All three were healthy, and their mother was fine.

Sandtail padded into the nursery, breathing in the warm, milky smell that she had missed for so long.

"Sandtail," Illuminatedpath meowed.

Sandtail saw her former mentor lying in a bed of moss with a black kit and two silvery kits at the curve of her belly. Blackfang was standing next to her, his eyes glowing with pride.

"This is Shadowkit," Illuminatedpath meowed, pointing to the black tom. "And Mosskit," she mewed, pointing to the silvery she kit. "And Cliffkit," She then pointed to the silvery tom.

"They're wonderful," Sandtail meowed. _I want kits like that someday. But... can I be leader too?_

* * *

**So, that chapter... good? And Moonmask was made by my sister, I Am The OverLord. (her Silver Light story is awesome! She let me borrow some things from her story...)**

**Yeah, Sandtail wants to become leader (like Bluefur...)**

**Will she fufil her dream? Review and find out! Can I please have at _least_ four reviews before updating? Please?**


	20. Sandtail's Kits and the Sour Kit

**I _know_ that there are more people reading this than there are reviewing! Why won't people review? All you have to do is click the little button and say what you thought about the chapter. "Good" is a good enough review for me (sometimes)!**

**But _yeah_, new chapter. As you can see from it's title, Sandtail is having kits! Yay!**

**I do not own Warriors... never will...**

* * *

The next moon passed quickly, or at least for Sandtail it did. Minttail had her kits, named Sagekit, a black she kit, Finchkit, a calico she kit, and Truthkit, a golden tabby tomkit. Lionfoot was overjoyed. Bluestripe also had her kits, Lakekit, a blue gray she kit, Blazekit, a brown tabby tomkit, and Flowerkit, a light gray she kit. Ferndapple also had her kits, a gray and white one named Mousekit, and a pale grayish white kit named Mistykit. Illuminatedpath's kits were the oldest, and then Minttail's, then Bluestripe's, and the youngest were Ferndapple's kits. Now only Sandtail was waiting for _her_ kits to come. Finally, one morning, they wanted to come.

"Are the new kits here?" Lakekit asked for the tenth time.

"No," Bluestripe meowed. "Why don't you kits go and play outside?"

"I'll watch them," Illuminatedpath meowed.

"I think we should all come, it'll give our medicine cats more space, and you might have trouble watching eight kits," Ferndapple laughed. "But if you need _anything_, we'll be back here in a flash, okay?"

"Sure," Sandtail meowed, trying not to gasp in pain.

"Not much longer," Fallingheart meowed.

"_Ow!_" Moonmask meowed, falling to the ground. Then to Sandtail she meowed, "Not me too!"

"It'll be better this way!" Fallingheart meowed sharply. "_You_ shouldn't be having kits in the first place!"

"I _know!_" Moonmask hissed. "But they won't be mine, they'll be Sandtail's!"

"Good thing that you're probably only having one," Fallingheart meowed quieter. "The clan hopefully won't know the difference. But you _have_ to stop seeing that tom, only at gatherings, and not very much."

"No promises," Moonmask hissed in pain.

Sandtail wanted to laugh, but she was engulfed in too much pain to laugh. _Please let this be over soon!_

Once the kits had come, Sandtail licked her kits. She had a total of four kits, five if you include Moonmask's kit. Sandtail had a golden kit, that looked a lot like herself, and a light brown kit that looked like Thornheart, a caramel kit that looked like Morningleaf, and a black kitten with a splash of white on its chest. Moonmask's kit was light silver, like herself, except it had a darker shade of gray on its muzzle, above its eyes, and on the tip of its tail. _Oh please StarClan, don't let anyone think that it looks like Smokevine!_

"What's its name?" Sandtail whispered. "Before Thornheart comes in."

"Smokekit," Moonmask meowed, standing up and shaking herself.

A moment later, Thornheart came running into the den.

"Sandtail, are you all right?" Thornheart meowed, leaping across the nursery to her side.

"I'm _fine_," Sandtail meowed. "But I'm thirsty."

"I'll get some water," Moonmask offered, escaping the den. _Lucky._

"Can we name the kits?" Sandtail meowed. "Smokekit for the gray one?"

"Sure," Thornheart meowed. "And the golden one?"

"Goldenkit... um... no... Honeykit," Sandtail meowed. "And the brown tom?"

"He looks like me!" Thornheart mewed. "How about _Snakekit?_"

"Sure," Sandtail meowed. "And... Leafkit."

"Sure," Thornheart meowed. "And what about Crowkit for the black tom?"

"Perfect," Sandtail meowed. Sandtail pulled her kits over to her. They all started to suckle. Sandtail quickly fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Sandtail opened her eyes. Her kits were fast asleep at her belly. She smiled. _Being a mother is well worth not being a warrior._ Just then, Snakekit wobbly got up and stretched his eyes open. _What a beautiful blue._

"Are you my mommy?" Snakekit meowed.

"I am," Sandtail meowed. "Welcome to SandClan, Snakekit."

Snakekit made a happy squeaking noise and pounced on Leafkit. Leafkit jumped up, startled and hissing, her eyes stretched wide.

"It's okay Leafkit," Sandtail soothed. "Nothing will hurt you."

Leafkit sighed. "I'll get you back," she threatened her brother.

"Honeykit, Crowkit," Sandtail meowed. _Oops!_ "And Smokekit. Time to wake up."

"Really?" Honeykit meowed. She sat up, her eyes still sealed shut.

"Why?" Crowkit complained. "I want to sleep!"

"Me too!" Smokekit whined. Both of their eyes were still shut too.

"Not me!" Honeykit mewed. "I want to see the world! Why won't my eyes open, mommy?"

"Sweetie, call me Sandtail," Sandtail meowed. "And relax; your eyes will open soon enough. You just have to wait."

"I don't!" Smokekit mewed. "I want to stay like this..."

"But there's a whole _world_ to see!" Leafkit meowed.

"Yeah!" Honeykit agreed.

"I'll see it first!" Snakekit meowed, bravely racing for the entrance.

"Are your eyes open?" Leapkit meowed, running over to the tiny kits.

"Wow," Sandtail heard Leafkit gasp. "You're a lot bigger than I imagined!"

"I'll be a warrior soon!" Leapkit boasted.

"Yeah, in another few _moons!_" Tunnelkit laughed. "Want us to show you around camp?"

"Can we?" Leafkit mewed.

_How can I say no?_ "Once Honeykit, Crowkit and ... Smokekit open their eyes."

"Aww!" Snakekit whined. "But Smokekit doesn't _want_ to open his eyes!"

"I want to!" Honeykit mewed. Trying with all of her might, Honeykit forced her eyes open. "Yay!"

_Amazing blue green eyes, just like Leafkit._ "Come on Crowkit, Smokekit."

"Okay," Crowkit meowed. "I sort of want to go and see camp now." He forced his eyes to open, revealing icy blue eyes.

"Wow," he gasped. "Everything's so... big! It's _amazing!_"

"See!" Snakekit mewed. "Told you so!"

"Smokekit, you _have_ to open your eyes!" Crowkit mewed.

"No," Smokekit growled. "I. Want. To. _Sleep!_"

"Fine!" Snakekit mewed. "Sandtail, can we go without him? _Please?_"

Sandtail sighed. "Sure."

"I'll watch them," Bluestripe offered. "My own already ran out with Minttail's and Ferndapple's! They already left too, and Illuminatedpath headed over to get some fresh kill."

"Okay," Sandtail meowed. "Thanks."

Sandtail watched her kits run outside, following the two older kits. _Why is Smokekit such a sour kit?_ "Smokekit, don't you want to go outside?"

"No," Smokekit hissed. "I want to stay here. I really, _really_ don't want to be with them. They're annoying, mouse brained fur balls!"

_What? No one says that about my kits, not even my sister's kit!_ "Take that back," Sandtail growled at the kit.

Smokekit shrunk back, looking shocked and a little scared.

"I'm so sorry," Sandtail meowed. "I-I didn't mean it. Just... don't be mean to your family." _That wasn't a lie. They are family... just not littermates..._

"Whatever," Smokekit growled, regaining his personality. "Just leave me alone."

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**Man, there is someting wrong with Smokekit! He's... _mean!_ And... anti-social. So un-kit-like.**

**Can I please have four reviews or more? _Please?_**


	21. The Pain of Love

**Hey, I am back! Thanks to all of my reviewers! You guys are amazing! This chapter is dedicated to the REVIEWERS of my story, not to the READERS who don't bother to click on the 'review' button and leave something as simple as 'good' as a review. So yeah, thanks to anyone who has reviewed on my story!**

**I do not own Warriors.**

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_What is _wrong_ with this kit?_ Sandtail asked herself. _Why is he acting like this?_

"Didn't you hear me?" Smokekit growled. "I said, leave me alone!"

Sandtail noticed that she had been staring at the kit. "Fine," She growled back. "Stay by yourself." Sandtail stalked over to her nest and laid down. _What _is_ his problem? I... I have to tell Moonmask..._ Sandtail got up, looking back at Smokekit. He was curled up in a ball, snoring his heart out. _Ignorant little...!_ Sandtail padded over to the medicine cat's den.

"Moonmask?" She called into the den.

"Yea?" Moonmask meowed, yawning as she padded out. "What's up?"

"It's Smokekit," Sandtail started. "He-"

"What's wrong with him?" Moonmask meowed quickly.

"Let me finish," Sandtail meowed; annoyed that Moonmask had interrupted her. _Smokekit _is_ her kit... of course she would be worried._ "He doesn't get along with any of the other kits, all he wants to do is lay around with his eyes closed. He even started _growling_ at me! He... he seems to _hate_ me, and I don't know why!"

"I..." Moonmask looked a little shocked. "I... I'm not sure I can help you."

"But you're his _mother!_" Sandtail hissed quietly.

"But no one _knows_ that!" Moonmask replied.

"Only you, me and Fallingheart, right?"

"..."

"_Right?_"

"... I'm sorry."

"You told Smokevine, _didn't_ you?"

"It's _his_ kit too!"

"Moonmask, you _could've_ kept it a secret! How was he about it?"

"I... I told him that... oh Sandtail, can we go into the forest?"

"Sure. Bluestripe!" Sandtail called to the other queen. "Can you watch my kits? I'm going for a walk with Moonmask!"

"Sure!" Bluestripe called. "Smokekit's in the den, right?"

"Yes!" Sandtail followed Moonmask out of camp. "Now, what did you tell him?"

"I told him that... that if we could be together... then I _might_ want to... join CliffClan."

"What?" _She can't really mean that! It's ... crazy! Mouse brained!_

"I knew you would be shocked."

"I _am!_"

"But... he told me... no. He told me that I'm a medicine cat at heart, and that I couldn't be one in CliffClan. He said I should stay here."

"And he's _right!_" _I'm agreeing with a CliffClan cat?_

"I_ know_ that now! But... I just love him so much! What if he found another she cat, one from his own clan, one that's prettier than me?"

"_Relax._ If he truly loved you, he wouldn't have."

"Really? Do you think so?"

_Crunch!_ Sandtail whipped around. Someone was spying on her and Moonmask. "Who's there?"

"Smokekit's not our littermate?" Sandtail recognized the small voice of Honeykit.

"Oh Honeykit, what did you hear?" Sandtail went over and tried to sooth the kit.

"Y-you said that Smokekit wasn't our littermate!"

"I... I'm sorry, but he's not."

"But you said before that we were family!"

"We are... he's my sister's kit."

"But... she's a medicine cat!"

"I know. And Honeykit, you can't tell _anyone_ about this, okay?"

"What about me?" Sandtail's heart thudded as she heard the voice of her mate.

"Oh Thornheart, I'm so sorry! I was _going_ to tell you, but you seemed so happy thinking that they were all your kits... and I didn't want you to be sad!"

"Do you really know so _little_ about me?" Thornheart hissed. "I thought you _trusted_ me, Sandtail! I thought you _loved_ me!"

"I do love you!" Sandtail meowed. "I love you with all of my heart! I didn't want to _hurt_ you!"

Sandtail took a few paw steps towards him.

"Stay _away!_" Thornheart hissed. "Why can't you trust me? Wait, I already know. These kits aren't mine; they're _Saltwave's_, right? I knew you loved him more than me!"

"No!" Sandtail hissed. "Saltwave loves _Sweetpaw!_"

"I..." Thornheart looked hollow with pain. "I..." He turned around and took off running.

"Thornheart!" Sandtail called after him.

Honeykit's eyes were wide as she choked out, "Do you not love each other anymore?"

"No, we do love each other," Sandtail meowed. She sighed. "Let's get you back to camp. Please, don't tell anyone."

"Okay," Honeykit meowed as they headed back to camp.

"Honeykit!" Bluestripe meowed as they came back to camp. "Where were you?"

"She followed us," Sandtail meowed. "We never noticed. I... I need to go back to the nursery..."

"Thornheart went out searching for her," Bluestripe meowed. "Shouldn't we go look-"

"He knows she's back," Sandtail meowed.

"Well, where's he?"

"... Hunting."

"Okay."

Sandtail headed back to the nursery. Snakekit, Leafkit and Crowkit were over next to Honetkit in a second.

"Where were you?"

"I was outside," Honeykit replied.

"What's it like?"

"Did you meet any cats?"

"Were you attacked by a fox or badger?"

"Did anything happen?"

"Did you get caught?"

"Are you in trouble?"

"Well," Honeykit meowed slyly. "I was out tracking Sandtail and Moonmask in the forest, the tall trees surrounding me, hiding me in their shadows, when a fox jumped out of _nowhere!_ It chased me for a while, but I turned around and clawed at its nose, and it almost came off! Then I had to find the trail again, which was easy. I heard them talking, and Moonmask mentioned something about cobwebs or something... and then a heard the growl of an enemy cat! They were right behind me! I jumped out of the bushes and was caught by Sandtail and Moonmask, but when I turned around to look for the cat, they were gone, with no scent remaining! Then they brought me back, after saying hi to Thornheart."

The kits sat around Honeykit, awe-struck. "Really?"

"No!" Honeykit laughed. "Only some parts are true. I made up the whole fox part. That never happened."

"And the enemy warrior?"

"You'll think I sound crazy, but I think it was a StarClan cat!" _Or a Dark Forest cat..._

"Thornheart's back!" A cat called from outside the den. _Oh no, StarClan, don't let him tell the secret!_

"RavenClan's crossed the border!" Thornheart gasped, winded. _RavenClan! Oh no! This could get bad!_

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**Ooh, the evil RavenClan again. Okay, they're not _evil_, but they are like a darker ShadowClan... and ooh! Honeykit _and_ Thornheart know about the secret now! I wonder what will happen... by the way, this story will have a total of 27 chapters (including the alligences / sneak peak, k?)**

**Can I please have three or four reviews? You guys make me happy, so you can pick!**


	22. New Messages and a Battle

**Hey! I am back with a new chapter! Thank you to everyone who reviewed. (whoever reviews is amazing and makes me really happy!)**

**I do not own Warriors.**

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"Okay cats," Acornstar called. "Everyone, prepare for battle! Burningdawn, Brownfang, Fishleap, Mudheart, Flarestorm, Birchpaw, Snowflame, Echopoppy, Frostwhisker and Tigerfire. Also, Couldstorm, Firestalker, Ivyclaw, Swiftflight, Berryblaze, Thornheart, Ravenwing and Thistlepelt, you come too! Yellowfur, you're in charge of camp. Wolfcall, you can come too. Everyone else, guard camp until we return."

All of the named cats gathered and headed off towards the RavenClan border. _Good luck, Thornheart._ Sandtail watched them leave, her heart heavy. "I never got to tell Thornheart good luck," she whispered quietly.

"Don't worry," Bluestripe meowed. She and Shortear were carrying their kits back into the nursery. "He'll be back."

"I know," Sandtail meowed. "I'm missing the battle, missing the chance to help my clan mates..."

"Sandtail, I'm scared. What if those nasty RavenClan cats get back to camp? Will they eat us?" Leafkit shivered.

"It's okay," Sandtail mewed to her kittens. "Everyone, come here. You'll all be okay. You too, Smokekit."

"No," Smokekit growled. "I want to be alone."

Sandtail sighed. "Crowkit, Snakekit, Honeykit and Leafkit, you all come over here."

"Don't worry Leafkit," Snakekit meowed. "I'll protect you!"

"And I'll protect you, Honeykit!" Crowkit meowed.

Sandtail curled up with her four kits and Smokekit a few paw steps away, curled in his bit of moss, growling in his sleep. _What is wrong with that kit? How did he come to be like that? He's so young; he shouldn't be as mean and sharp tongued as an elder!_

_Sandtail, don't worry about him, _Sandtail heard a voice in the wind. _It is nothing that you can control. His destiny is his alone, and it will unfold, give him time. You can do nothing to stop it. The Golden Light is separated from the Silver Light by a think cloud of Smoke. Two love birds can stop it though, and bring the Golden and Silver Lights back together._

_What?_ Sandtail almost gasped out loud. _Another prophecy?_

The words rang in her ears; _The Golden Light is separated from the Silver Light by a think cloud of Smoke. Two love birds can stop it though, and bring the Golden and Silver Lights back together._

"Sandtail?" Leafkit mewed. "Sandtail?"

"I'm sorry," Sandtail meowed. "Yes?"

"Are the RavenClan cats going to find us?"

"No, all of those brave SandClan warriors will chase them away."

"Will anyone _die?_"

"Let's pray to StarClan not."

"Yes. StarClan, please keep my dad and clan safe from those RavenClan meanies. Thank you."

Leafkit closed her eyes and curled up next to her littermates. She soon fell asleep, along with every other cat except Sandtail. _And_ Smokekit.

"Your stupid _StarClan_ beliefs will get you no where," The small kit mewed. "Power is the only way to win. If all you have is _belief_, you've already lost the battle."

"What...? Smokekit, what are you _talking_ about?" Sandtail meowed sharply, shocked. "If you don't have any belief, then you're not going to win anything!"

"So says _you_," Smokekit spat. "I _hate_ you! You're not my mother, I _have_ no mother! I wish she was _dead!_"

"How can you _say_ that?" Sandtail hissed, not caring that she was hissing at a kit. He needed to be taught a lesson or two about _respect!_ "How can you say that you want her dead?"

"Ha!" Smokekit hissed. "I was testing you! So you really _aren't_ my mother!"

_What? How could that kit outsmart me? This... this isn't a normal kitten! He has the mind of an evil, full grown cat!_

"Surprised?" Smokekit spat. "I hate you! You lied to me!"

"I never lied," Sandtail whispered. "You may not be my kit, but you are my family."

Smokekit's eyes sparkled with hatred. "I am no family to _you,_ mouse!"

"Flea brained _foxdung!_" Sandtail spat at the kit. "I wish you _weren't_ my family! I... I... I wish you had never been born!"

"Me too!" Smokekit countered. "Then I wouldn't be stuck with a bunch of _weaklings!_"

"Stay away from my kits!" Sandtail threatened. "If you know what's good for you!"

"I know what's good for _you!_" Smokekit hissed. "Maybe _death!_ No, something more agonizing... watching all of your family, dying around you, _that_ would be perfect for you!"

"Where did you get such a cruel mind?"

"Where did you get such a bad mate?"

"Don't. _Ever._ Say. _Anything._ Bad. About. Thornheart!" Sandtail almost lunged for the kit. She imagined the feeling of her teeth sinking into his neck, the feel of the blood pooling around her mouth, the feeling of the kit's life, slowly ebbing away. _I would be free of that monster!_ But then Sandtail thought for a moment. _Moonmask would _hate_ me for that! How could I hurt her so much? Maybe... maybe someone could teach him... to be better. Please, StarClan, give me an answer! What do I do about this nasty kit?_

_Nothing._ The words seemed to come from no where.

_Nothing? Why StarClan, why?_

_This is meant to happen. It will all be over, in ten moons, if the lovebirds fail, then the forest is doomed._

_What? Who are the 'love birds'? _

_Only time will tell..._

Sandtail gasped at the message she had received. Smokekit snorted.

"Are you talking to dead cats again? They will do _nothing_ for you!"

"You will be beaten, Smokekit," Sandtail whispered under her breath, so quietly that the kit couldn't heart. "But first, I will fulfill _my_ prophecy."

"What are you whispering about now, _mother?_" Smokekit asked with fake sweetness.

"Nothing, _foxdung,_" Sandtail growled. "You better stay away from my kits, or I _promise_, I will _skin you alive!_"

"Hmm?" Honeykit mewed, opening her eyes. "Is the battle over yet?"

"No," Sandtail meowed. "They aren't back yet."

"Okay," Honeykit mewed, falling asleep.

_To protect what I love, you _will_ be beaten, Smokekit. I promise you that, you will not fulfill those evil things that you had said you would do. You will fall; I will make _sure_ of it!_

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**Hey, sorry if Sandtail sounds mean, but she just wants to protect her family!**


	23. First Apprentice

**Hey, just so you people know, Smokekit will _not_ be like a mini Tigerstar! The reasons why will come near the end of the story! And Smokekit is the new cat version of my brother, since Thistlepelt became to nice! Thank you for reading/reviewing. And also, most of the prophecies were just little warnings; StarClan trying to make the prophecy clearer. The _Smoke_ thing in the last one goes back to the warning (not prophecy) Sandtail recieved when she found that Moonpaw was meeting Smokevine. In my fanfic, StarClan will almost _always_ speak in little riddles, or warnings, or _something_ that is not obvious. Hope that helps!**

**I don't own Warriors!**

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"You shall now be known as Honeypaw. Your mentor will be Blackfang."

"Honeypaw! Snakepaw! Crowpaw! Leafpaw! Smokepaw! Lakepaw! Blazepaw! Flowerpaw! Honeypaw! Snakepaw! Crowpaw! Leafpaw! Smokepaw! Lakepaw! Blazepaw! Flowerpaw! Honeypaw! Snakepaw! Crowpaw! Leafpaw! Smokepaw! Lakepaw! Blazepaw! Flowerpaw!"

Sandtail called her kits' names, trying as hard as she could not to hiss Smokepaw's name. Every day since that one day, he had gotten worse. Many things had happened in those few moons... Deafleaf had died of old age, Frostwhisker had been killed by a fox, and Ferretleg had been hit on the thunderpath. Sandtail had grown closer to Thistlepelt ever since they had become warriors, and she noticed now how he looked at Cherrywhisker. All of the kits in the nursery had become apprentices, and now no other cat had had any kits. Sandtail had gained an apprentice, Lakepaw. Acornstar decided that she should've had an apprentice a long time ago, but she had been a little young, and all of the kits were her past den mates... and then _she_ had kits. But now, she could experience living as a mentor for a few moons.

"What are we doing first?" Lakepaw mewed, her blue eyes sparkling.

"First..." Sandtail thought back to when she was an apprentice. "I'll show you around the territory. Then... I'll show you some stalking."

"Yay!" Lakepaw squeaked. She ran towards the entrance to camp.

"Wait!" Sandtail meowed, making her apprentice stop in her tracks.

"Hmmm?" Lakepaw meowed.

"Eat first," Sandtail laughed. "It's a long way, and you'll need your energy."

Lakepaw was silent. "Oh, okay! I'll go eat with Honeypaw!"

Lakepaw raced over to her golden pelted friend and mewed something. Then they both went over and ate a rabbit. Sandtail purred and ate a sparrow. Once she was done, Lakepaw, Honeypaw, Finchpaw, Blackfang, and Maplestem all came with her for the tour of the territory.

"This is the twisted tree," Maplestem meowed.

"My favorite tree..." Sandtail meowed quietly.

"It's very pretty," Lakepaw meowed. "Can birds and squirrels be caught in it?"

"All of the time," Sandtail purred.

"Really?" Blackfang meowed. "I've never tried it before..."

"I used to come here all of the time," Sandtail explained. "On my first day as an apprentice, I came here."

"Come on, let's show you three the RavenClan border," Maplestem meowed.

"Coming!" Finchpaw meowed, racing after her mentor.

Blackfang looked over to Sandtail, _why is she running?_ Sandtail purred. "Come on."

So everyone headed over to the RavenClan border. Lucky for them, they didn't see any cats. But then, out of some bushes, five RavenClan cats sprang out.

"What are you doing so close to our border?" One of the cats hissed.

"What business is it of yours?" Maplestem meowed calmly.

"... Grr..."

"Fine! We're showing are new apprentices around the borders!"

"Liar! No... You're planning a raid on our territory!"

"What? No we aren't-"

"Attack!"

Suddenly, battle exploded all around. Sandtail watched an apprentice aged cat jump onto Honeypaw. Before she could move, Lakepaw tackled the apprentice and Honeypaw bit into the cat's paw. Sandtail smiled and tackled an intruder.

"Finchpaw!" She heard Blackfang call. "Get help!"

The calico cat turned and raced away, her amber eyes blazing with fear. The battle continued, and Sandtail winced as claws ripped into her flank, splattering the ground with scarlet blood. She clawed at her attacker. _We're losing,_ she realized. _Finchpaw, bring help, quick!_ Suddenly, five warriors of SandClan charged out of the bushes, Finchpaw following a little slower, probably winded from all of the running on her very first day.

"Attack!" The voice of Wolfcall sounded.

Sandtail was pinned down to the ground when a familiar tabby pelt tackled her attacker, violently clawing him. The cat screeched and ran away, while the tabby hissed, "Don't mess with my sister!"

"Thanks Thistlepelt!" Sandtail meowed. Thistlepelt nodded and clawed at another cat. Moments later, the battle was over.

"Wolfcall's hurt!" Honeypaw wailed. _W-what?_

Wolfcall was lying on the ground, his eyes shut and a long cut down his flank. He was still breathing... _barely._

"He'll be fine," Sandtail murmured to her daughter. "Let's bring him back. Moonmask and Fallingheart can help him better than anyone else can."

"Yes," Maplestem meowed.

So the patrol carried Wolfcall back. Fallingheart then started to help him while Moonmask took care of the other injuries.

"Well?" Sandtail asked. "Will he make it?"

"I don't know," Moonmask meowed. "I... I hope he doesn't die."

"He _can't!_" Sandtail wailed. "I _promised_ Honeypaw he wouldn't die!"

"There's nothing we can do if StarClan calls for him."

"..."

"Are you okay, Sandtail?"

"Yea... just some cuts. But you helped those already."

"No, I mean _mentally_."

"..."

"_Sandtail..._"

"No. I didn't want Honeypaw to experience any more death, not after Deafleaf, Frostwhisker and Ferretleg!"

"She'll get over it. Anyway, she has Lakepaw to help her."

"Yeah... I'm going to my nest."

"Okay. Let me check your wounds again later."

"..." Sandtail was silent as she left her sister and headed to her nest.

_"Sandtail!" Sandtail looked around. "Sandtail!"_

_"What is it?" She called. "Where are you? _Who_ are you?"_

_"Something important..."_

_"What is it?"_

_"Something new..."_

_"What?"_

_"A new one will rise,_

_Once the last call calls,_

_One is going to be lost,_

_It is the wolf, he falls._

_The new one will rise,_

_And shine like a star,_

_StarClan has seen that,_

_Even from afar._

_The Golden Light of Day,_

_Will rise up to the test,_

_To shine like StarClan's stars,_

_And be one of the best."_

_"W-what?" Sandtail choked. "I-I..."_

_"Good luck, Sandtail. Follow your destiny."_

Sandtail's eyes shot open. It was the next day, and the sunlight was coming through the branches. _What was _that_ about? The Golden Light of Day, will rise up to the test, to shine like StarClan's stars, and be one of the best... does that mean _me_? What... what am _I_ supposed to do? StarClan, help me! Make the prophecy clearer, please!_

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**I know, I know. _Another_ prophecy. But like I said at the top, StarClan will speak in warnings, riddles or prophecies. So, um, get used to it... I did not mean for that to sound hurtful!  
Can I please have some reviews? _Please? EVERYONE WHO REVIEWS IS EPIC-LY AMAZING!_**


	24. Battle, New Threats

**Guess what? New chapter! **

**And some questions for a reviewer (bite me) ( that's the name of the reviewer) What do you mean by "stop the profaces"? What is that supposed to mean? What is a proface? I would be _really_ happy if _someone_ could explain that to me.**

**But _anyway_, on with the chapter. I do not own Warriors- never have, never will.**

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"Sandtail... Sandtail!" Sandtail heard the voice of her apprentice, Lakepaw, calling her.

"Coming!" Sandtail responded.

Today she was going to show the blue gray she cat some stalking moves. As she showed her the moves, she noticed that Ravenwing had come to the training area too, bringing his apprentice, Smokepaw. _Smokepaw will do well with a cat like Ravenwing. He's a good friend._ Sandtail watched as Lakepaw stalked a leaf and watched as Ravenwing started teaching Smokepaw some advanced fighting moves.

"Is he ready?" Sandtail asked.

"Like you would care!" Smokepaw hissed. "Remember, I _hate_ you!"

Lakepaw gasped.

"He's perfectly ready," Ravenwing meowed. "Unless you think that your _kit_ wouldn't be ready..."

"No, it's just that he's really young! It's his second day as an apprentice!"

"And he missed his _first_ day's training! So, he'll have to work _really _hard today!"

_What? Why is Ravenwing _acting_ like this? He was always such a sweet kitten! Sure, he always had anger problems... but he was _never_ mean on purpose!_ "W-what?"

"Come on, Smokepaw, let's go train somewhere _else_," Ravenwing hissed. Smokepaw padded into the forest. As Ravenwing passed Sandtail, he hissed quietly, "You chose _him_ over _me?_"

That's when it struck Sandtail. _Ravenwing_ was in love with her? When? _Why?_ "Ravenwing, I didn't know!"

Ravenwing stalked off as if Sandtail hadn't commented. Lakepaw looked shaken, and Sandtail felt bad. _How had I _not_ noticed that one of my friends was in love with me? Maybe... because I always had Thornheart..._

"C-c-can w-we g-go h-hunting in-instead?" Lakepaw mewed, her eyes wide. "I _really_ don't like _that_ kind of fighting..."

"Sure," Sandtail meowed. "Let's go practice those stalking moves I showed you yesterday on some _real_ prey."

Lakepaw nodded and followed Sandtail into the forest.

"Sandtail," Lakepaw mewed later. "I-I smell... cats."

Sandtail sniffed the air. There _were_ cat scents! "Good job, Lakepaw. We have to report this back to Acornstar, quick!"

"Where do you think _you're_ going?" An evil voice sneered. Ten cats stepped out of the shadows.

"Lakepaw, run," Sandtail whispered to her apprentice. Before her apprentice could reply, she meowed, "I'll be right behind you." Lakepaw blinked to show that she heard.

"Well..." The cat in the front meowed. It was a black and white tomcat. "What should we do with them?"

"I know!" A black tomcat growled. "_Kill_ them!"

"Very good, _Shark_."

At the name 'Shark', a prophecy flashed back into Sandtail's mind.

_Beware the evil,_

_That hides in the dark,_

_It wants to consume you,_

_The Light- destroyed by the bark._

_But the Light has friends,_

_The dark only has claws,_

_The Light unites with help,_

_While the dark is full of flaws._

_To destroy the dark,_

_You must beat the Shark,_

_Cut the Ivy,_

_And destroy the Bark._

_Shark... is the _shark_ in the prophecy! And that means that the head cat must be..._

"Can I, Bark?" Shark growled.

_Bark!_

"Yes." Bark's eyes were wild, filled with hate and battle. "Kill them _now_."

"Now!" Sandtail hissed. She turned and fled with Lakepaw at her side. Making sure that she didn't leave the apprentice, she kept her pace. The enemy cats charged after them.

"_HELP!_" Lakepaw screeched with all of her voice as they ran through the tunnel into camp. "_AMBUSH!_"

Cats swarmed out of the dens, shocked, as the enemy charged into the camp. Lakepaw, with her quick wits, grabbed the only kits in camp, Sweetblossom and Saltwave's kit. Sweetpaw, Poppypaw, Specklepaw and Icepaw had been given their warrior names before Lakepaw was named an apprentice. They were now Sweetblossom, Poppyflower, Speckleleaf and Icebird. Lakepaw put the kit with the elders and Sweetblossom, Poppyflower, Lakepaw and Saltwave guarded the elders and kit.

Sandtail sprung into the action, clawing at the face of the nearest enemy. Scarlet splattered across the ground as the she cat howled in pain. Then, the cat leapt at Sandtail, clawing at her leg, splattering _more_ scarlet blood. The clearing stank of blood already. _She's well trained for a rogue..._ Sandtail side stepped as the cat jumped at her once more. Sandtail bit down on the cat's ears, shredding them. That sent the she cat running from the camp. _There are too many of them! Most of the warriors are out of camp right now!_

Another cat jumped onto Sandtail. Sandtail felt the cat dig its claws into her back. She suppressed a yowl of pain. Instead, she tried to get the cat off of her back by rolling on the ground. It worked. Sandtail caught sight of a silver pelt as hate filled green eyes stared up at her.

"I-Ivyclaw," was all Sandtail managed to choke out before Ivyclaw tackled her again. Ivyclaw's claws were powered by hate as she swiped at Sandtail, biting her front leg and tearing into her back with her claws.

"You stole him," Ivyclaw spat, venom in her voice. "Now Thornheart will _never_ be mine! Not until _you_ are _dead!_"

"Never!" Sandtail heard a cat hiss. Suddenly, the weight of Ivyclaw was lifted, and Sandtail saw Thornheart clawing Ivyclaw until Ivyclaw ran from the camp, yowling pain as she left.

"Thanks," Sandtail gasped, standing up.

"Don't mention it," Thornheart meowed. "I love you so much, Sandtail."

"I love you too Thornheart." Sandtail ducked from claws. "Maybe this isn't the _best_ place to stop and talk!"

_We're winning!_ Sandtail thought as she tackled another cat. As she fought, she was glad that none of _her and Thornheart's_ kits were in camp right now. "We're winning!" Sandtail called to Thornheart as he sent a cat running for its life.

Sandtail clawed at a black cat, Shark. "You!" She spat. "Get away! This _isn't_ your home, it's ours! And we will fight you _forever_ to keep it that way!"

"I've heard of you!" Shark spat. "The Golden Light? Well, you're going down! I will kill you here!"

"Never!" Sandtail spat, clawing at the tom's ears. He flipped Sandtail over and clawed at her belly. Sandtail yowled and went limp. Shark relaxed, and once he did, Sandtail flung herself up, knocking him away. She then leaped at him and pinned him down for a moment. But, he was a bigger cat and knocked her away easier.

Just then, Sandtail caught sight of a black pelt with a splash of white. _Ravenwing! He heard the fighting and he's come to help!_ Ravenwing raced over to Sandtail, his fur fluffed up and his eyes blazing.

"Sandtail, I will kill you _myself!_" Ravenwing hissed as he leaped at Sandtail, his claws aimed for her neck.

* * *

**Aww, Ravenwing turned evil! "Darkness on the Raven's wing" thing means Ravenwing. Many people already figured that out though... and Ivyclaw is evil too! Okay, that was pretty obvious too. Well, the "Bark" and the "Shark" came into the story. And only because I Am The OverLord reminded me about them... thanks sis! And anyone who wants to check out her story, Silver Light, it is _amazing!_**

**Can I please have four reviews? Please? Thank you to all of my loyal reviewers! You guys rock!**


	25. The End of the Battle

**Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers! I am only sad to say that the story is almost done! Countdown: 3... next will be 2 and the one after that will be the last. Sorry, if anyone really likes this story (which I know some people do!)**

**I do not own Warriors!**

* * *

_Ravenwing? Why? _Sandtail felt claws meet her shoulder as she tried desperately to get out of the way. "Why?" She hissed at Ravenwing as she dodged his claws again. "What happened to you, the _real_ you? What happened to that little kitten who used to challenge me to games, and who used to be so nice? What happened to him, the Ravenkit that I once knew?"

"He is _gone!_" Ravenwing hissed. "That _pathetic_ little kit you used to know is gone! You crushed my heart, Sandtail! Why? Why did you mate with my brother? Do you know how much that _hurt_ me? It's like a wound, it keeps opening, everyday! It keeps flowing, draining me of blood, killing me! Only you could've stopped it, and you never even _noticed!_ You are the reason why this attack came! I _planned_ it, carried it out!"

"What? You traitor! You didn't have to attack the _clan_ if you wanted to hurt _me!_" Sandtail lashed her tail back and forth, preparing to pounce again. "Do you know who is getting hurt because of this battle? Innocent cats!"

"And _that_ shall hurt you even _more!_" Ravenwing spat. "Knowing that _you_ were the cause of this! You killed them, Sandtail! You!"

"No!" Sandtail hissed, leaping at the tom and knocking him off of his feet. "You are _wrong_, Ravenwing! _Dead_ wrong!"

"It is _you_ who shall die!" Ravenwing spat, clawing at Sandtail's belly, opening the wound again. Scarlet coated the ground, and Sandtail found her strength leaving her. _I have to finish this, soon!_ Sandtail clawed back at Ravenwing's belly, but she couldn't claw as hard as the tomcat, who hadn't been fighting when _she_ had been.

"Sandtail!" Thornheart called, jumping at Ravenwing. I light brown tabby pelt knocked Thornheart to the ground before he could tackle Ravenwing. Blue eyes blazed in Thornheart's face. "Splashflame? What are you _doing?_ He's trying to _kill_ Sandtail!"

"I know," The tabby meowed calmly. "It _has_ to be done."

"What? Not you too!" Thornheart clawed at Splashflame.

"Get off!" Sandtail hissed. She clawed at Ravenwing, who just laughed.

"Thornheart, brother, you can not stop me, or the Dark Forest, from taking over," The voice didn't sound like Ravenwing's voice, it sounded only... cruel. "Splashflame is one with us. Nothing can stop us now!"

"Why would you join the Dark Forest?" Sandtail asked. "Do you not want to go to StarClan?"

"StarClan is only a kit's tale," Splashflame meowed. "Thornheart, follow us, or die along with the Golden Light."

"Golden Light?" Thornheart asked.

"Me," Sandtail meowed. "The Golden Light... I have... to save the clan!"

"Ravenwing, Splashflame, what happened to you two?" A voice meowed. A black pelted cat stepped out of the shadows. _Nightshadow! Please, don't let her be on their side too!_

"Join us, sister," Ravenwing hissed. "Or die!"

"Never!" Nightshadow hissed, tackling Ravenwing off of Sandtail. Sandtail managed to get up and see Nightshadow fighting off Ravenwing, and Thornheart and Thistlepelt, who had just gotten back to camp with more warriors, were both fighting Splashflame.

"Be gone!" Bark, the cat from before, hissed, leaping out of nowhere at Sandtail.

"Never! Stay away from her!" Mudheart hissed. He had been one of the cats who had just returned. Mudheart clawed at Bark. Bark, since he was almost beaten when he decided to attack Sandtail, fell to the ground, limp and dead.

"Thanks," Sandtail whispered to her father as she ran to help Nightshadow. Sandtail leaped onto Ravenwing's back, digging her claws in. Ravenwing howled in pain, but before he could attack Sandtail, Nightshadow clawed at his face, blinding the black tom. Ravenwing collapsed to the ground, defeated but not dead.

"Stop!" A cat called. It was Illuminatedpath.

Sandtail looked around. Dead cats lay on the ground. _Oh no, oh no!_ Sandtail noticed that most were rogues. But she _did_ notice that Speckleleaf was lying on the ground, motionless. _No, not her! She was so young!_ Sandtail noticed the faint rise and fall of her chest and ran towards her.

"Sandtail?" Speckleleaf whispered. "Where... are... my sisters?"

"Sweetblossom! Icebird! Poppyflower!" Sandtail called desperately. The three she cats came running over.

"Speckleleaf!" Sweetblossom cried. "Don't die!"

"Where are Fallingheart and Moonmask?" Poppyflower cried.

"Collecting... herbs," Icebird said hollowly.

"Sisters..." Speckleleaf choked. "Don't... _ever_... forget me. StarClan... is calling."

"No!" Sweetblossom wailed. She was licking her sister's head. "Don't leave!"

"I'm sorry," Speckleleaf coughed. "But... they're waiting... for me... be good... never forget... that... I love you... all of you..."

And with that, Speckleleaf lay limp. Sweetblossom wailed, and Poppyflower hung her head in grief. Icebird licked her sister's head sadly. Sandtail felt her heart ache. _You killed them, Sandtail! You!_ Ravenwing's words rang through Sandtail's mind. _No! I would _never_ kill my clan mates! Speckleleaf, wake up! Don't die!_ But Sandtail knew that the pretty calico was already with StarClan.

"Sandtail," Thornheart meowed. "I'm so sorry. I heard what Ravenwing said. It's not your fault."

"It _is!_" Sandtail wailed. "He was after me, yet he hurt the whole clan!"

"But it's over now, Sandtail. Look," Thornheart meowed, waving his tail around.

Warriors were gathering the bodies of the rogues. The list of dead cats were Shark, his neck ripped open, Bark, who had been killed by Mudheart, and five other cats that Sandtail didn't recognize. Along with them, Sandtail spotted a familiar silvery pelt. _Ivyclaw._ She was dead; she must've been killed by a rogue who didn't know that she was on _their_ side. Splashflame and Ravenwing sat in the middle of camp, surrounded by warriors glaring at them, their claws ready to swipe.

"Where's Acornstar?" Morningleaf called. All of the cats looked around.

"He was here during the battle," Lakepaw mewed. "I-I _saw_ him!"

"Was anyone hurt?" Echopoppy asked. "I know what marigold looks like... or I could go find Fallingheart and Moonmask..."

"I'll come with you," Lakepaw meowed. "I-if that's okay..." Lakepaw was looking at Sandtail. Sandtail nodded.

_Oooh..._ Sandtail felt herself wobble. The blood-loss was getting to her. Her vision started getting fuzzy. Sandtail opened her mouth to speak, but she collapsed to the ground first. "Sandtail!" Sandtail heard Thornheart call. And the last thing Sandtail heard was someone shout from the other side of camp, "Wolfcall's _dead!_"

* * *

**No! Not Wolfcall! _Now_ who'll be deputy? Hey, is anyone glad that Nightshadow stayed on the good side? She was based after one of my friends... and OMS! Splashflame's evil! Eh, some people saw that coming. "Beware the fire of the water" the flame of the Splash... Splashflame.**

**Yeah... please review (4 please?) And thank you to everyone who has reviewed throughout my story... you people (and other creatures) are amazing!**


	26. A New Leader, A New Deputy

**Hey, I have a new chapter! I'm Sorry, Emberstorm of SkyClan, there will not be a seuqel. (And to anyone else who was wondering that too.) Everyone, thanks for reviewing and keeping me writting this story! I am _appalled_ (amazed) that this story got 100 reviews! That makes me so happy that I want to _cry!_ And thank to Talonleap234, you were my 100th reviewer! Yay!**

**I do not own Warriors, nor will I ever own Warriors!**

* * *

Sandtail opened her eyes. The air was cool, and she could see the stars in the sky. Well, the stars were all _around_ her. Sandtail gasped.

"Am I in StarClan?" Sandtail wondered aloud.

"Yes." A cat came out of the bushes. The cat's pelt was golden, a bright... _yellow_ color. And it seemed as if the cat's pelt was on _fire_. The cat's orange eyes glowed kindly. "Welcome, Sandtail."

"I-I'm _dead?_" Sandtail gasped. _No, this _can't_ be true!_

"No, young one. You are not dead; it is not your time. You are in StarClan," The cat meowed. "Because we have come to thank you for saving the clan. There are just a few more things to do.

_The Smoke must vanish,_

_The vines must be plucked,_

_But you won't have to do that,_

_With a little bit of luck._

_The Night grows strong,_

_The Light it matches,_

_Guide it, Golden Light,_

_And lead it to the Ashes._

_Golden Light, _

_Lead you clan well,_

_Protect the code,_

_And your story, the elders will tell,_

_To new cats,_

_Once you're gone,_

_But for now,_

_You must stay strong._

Now go back to your clan, Sandtail."

Sandtail opened her eyes. She was in the medicine cat's den.

"Sandtail?" The voice of Moonmask asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Sandtail meowed. Sandtail stood up and wobbled a little before sitting down. "I... the fight... _battle_ was a little... difficult."

"But at least we won," Moonmask meowed.

"Moonmask..." Sandtail meowed,

_"The Smoke must vanish,_

_The vines must be plucked,_

_But you won't have to do that,_

_With a little bit of luck._

_The Night grows strong,_

_The Light it matches,_

_Guide it, Golden Light,_

_And lead it to the Ashes._

_Golden Light, _

_Lead you clan well,_

_Protect the code,_

_And your story, the elders will tell,_

_To new cats,_

_Once you're gone,_

_But for now,_

_You must stay strong."_

"A prophecy?" Moonmask asked. "Haven't you done _enough?_"

"No," Sandtail meowed. "There's one more thing I must do. Where's Acornstar?"

"..."

"W-where is he?"

"A few nests over..."

Sandtail turned and saw her leader lying in a bed of moss. Suddenly, his eyes flicked open.

"Sandtail!" Acornstar choked. "StarClan has spoken! You... shall be the new... deputy of SandClan..." Acornstar started coughing up some blood again.

"Acornstar! Are you okay? What's wrong?" Sandtail was at her leader's side in a moment.

"StarClan is calling me..." Acornstar's eyes glowed, not with sorrow, but with _pride_ and _hope_. "StarClan... told me... _you_ were going... to be a great... leader. Sandtail... _Golden Light_... lead my clan... your clan now... well. Promise... me that you... won't give up... no matter what..."

"I promise," Sandtail cried as she promised. "I'll do it for you, Acornstar, and for my clan. I promise, I _won't_ let you down."

"What's wrong?" Fallingheart asked, coming back from treating the warriors.

"Acornstar..." was all Moonmask managed to mew.

"I promise..." Sandtail watched as her leader smiled, a lifetime of memories flashing through his mind. He looked up to Sandtail, and then he gently fell back down onto the ground.

"What did he tell you?" Fallingheart asked.

"He... he said that I was the new deputy... and he made me promise never to give up," Sandtail meowed. "But... am I ready?"

"Yes," Fallingheart meowed. "The prophecy, _StarClan,_ told you that you were ready. Believe in them, Sandtail."

"One thing first," Sandtail meowed. Sandtail padded out of the den. Ravenwing and Splashflame sat in the center of camp, six warriors guarding them to make sure they didn't run away.

Ravenwing looked up at Sandtail. A smile grew on his face, an _evil_ smile. "You _will_ loose, Sandtail. The Smoke's waiting, and it waits... you can't beat it..."

"I will," Sandtail hissed. Then, she thought back to the prophecy. "No... I won't." Ravenwing smiled. "But _someone_ will, the love birds and the Silver Light. _They_ are the ones who will beat the Smoke." Ravenwing's smile faded.

"Are we going to die?" Splashflame's voice sounded hollow with horror.

"No." Gasps sounded all throughout the clearing. "You are now banished. And your warrior names shall be taken away. Ravenwing, you are now Raven. Splashflame, you are now Splash. Now, _both_ of you, leave. If my warriors find you, they are allowed to _kill_ you. That is, if you are in SandClan territory."

Splash bowed his head and left, his tail between his legs. Raven growled and followed his brother, his head held high and his tail lashing.

"I'll miss them," Nightshadow meowed next to Sandtail.

"Me too." Sandtail thought about what she said. "No, I'll miss the cats that they _used_ to be, and the cats that I _hoped_ that they would be."

"Yeah," Nightshadow meowed. "Are you going to be leader now?"

"Yes," Sandtail meowed. "That is what Acornstar told me. SandClan, Acornstar is dead!" Cats gasped. "And the last thing he told me... was to lead my clan, and to _never_ give up. I will lead you, if you will let me."

"Sandtail!" Sandtail heard Saltwave and Thornheart call. Soon, every cat was cheering Sandtail's name. Sandtail looked down at the ground. _Wow, I have the whole clan behind me..._ Sandtail raised her head, looking up to the stars. _Thank you, StarClan!_

"Tomorrow, we will go to the Shining Stone," Moonmask mewed. "And you can receive your nine lives."

"Yes," Sandtail murmured.

Thornheart ran over to Sandtail, purring. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks." Sandtail looked around at her clan. "And, SandClan is left without a deputy. Let Wolfcall see and approve my choice. I chose..." Sandtail looked around. "Nightshadow to be the new deputy of SandClan."

"Nightshadow! Nightshadow! Nightshadow! Nightshadow! Nightshadow!" The clan called.

"Nightshadow!" Sandtail called to her friend.

"Thank you," Nightshadow meowed. "It's a great honor. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't," Sandtail purred.

"May StarClan watch over us," Nightshadow meowed.

* * *

**Yay! Sandtail's becoming leader! It is _so_ obvious that she would! But, yay!**

**The next chapter _should_ (99.9999% sure) that it's the last one, so... um... please review! Review for the last chapter please!**


	27. Sandstar, The End

**Well, as you know, this is the _last_ chapter! Sorry, if you didn't read before, there will be no sequel...**

**I do not own Warrior... for the last time on this story...**

* * *

"Are you ready?" Moonmask's voice sent chills through Sandtail.

"Possibly..."

"Oh come _on!_"

"You're not the one being presented in front of _all of StarClan_ to get nine lives!"

_My heart feels like it could explode... and my mind is racing with excitement!_

"You'll be _fine_," Moonmask laughed. "If you _weren't_ going to be fine, then StarClan would never have chosen you!"

"True," Sandtail grumbled.

"Just come on!" Moonmask laughed as the two sisters left the den.

"Good luck," Nightshadow and Thornheart meowed as they passed.

"Thanks," Sandtail meowed.

"Sandtail, could we do something first... before we reach the Shining Stone?" Moonmask asked.

"Sure, ... what?" Sandtail replied.

"I... I need to talk with Smokevine." Sandtail opened her mouth to say something, but Moonmask was faster, "Before you say _anything_, let me tell you this: it is for a _very_ different reason then you think. But, you'll see. I need you to hide in the bushes, in case Smokevine... in case _something_ happens. Okay?"

"Sure," Sandtail meowed.

"I asked Smokevine to meet me around here yesterday... so he should be here soon," Moonmask meowed. "During the battle, when I was collecting herbs, he asked me to run away with him, because he wanted to be with me forever. But then he also told me, thinking that the whole clan would be killed, that he... y-you'll find out..."

"Okay," Sandtail meowed. "I'm here for you, Moonmask."

"Thanks," Moonmask meowed before heading out into the clearing.

"Moonmask!" Sandtail heard the _terrible_ voice of Smokevine. Anyone who tries to take her sister away is now considered _terrible_. "I _knew_ you would come! Are you going to run away with me?"

"That's not the reason that I came here, Smokevine." Moonmask sounded serious, and... _Threatening_, even for a medicine cat!

"What do you mean?"

"You _lied_ to me! You helped lead an army of rogues against my clan, and you helped the cats that tried to kill my _sister!_ No, I will _not_ run away with you! I... I want to _kill_ you right now! How could you _hurt_ me like that?" Moonmask sounded like she was really sad... it was heartbreaking. "But now, I... I _hate_ you! To think, I _loved_ you before! And... And our _kit!_ You probably don't even know much about him! Now he needs to know that his father is a _murderer!_"

"I know Smokepaw more than you think," Smokevine hissed. "And he _knows_ that your sister isn't his mother..."

"She didn't tell..."

"No. _I_ did."

"Why?"

"I _never_ loved you, Moonmask. I _used_ you, to get information about your clan!"

"I hate you!"

"Now you are worthless... now you can _die!_"

Sandtail leaped out of the bushes and bowled Smokevine away from her sister. "Stay away," She hissed in his ears as she raked her claws down his spine.

Smokevine, wide-eyed, ran away from the two cats.

"That took courage," Sandtail meowed.

"Yeah," Moonmask answered. "Now _you're_ the one who needs courage. You'll be leader before... well, _at_ nightfall."

_Yes. My dream._ "I'm ready."

The moon was high in the sky, and Sandtail and Moonmask headed over to the Shining Stone. It was like a normal rock, except it had all of the colors you could ever imagine glowing on it, but only at nighttime when the stars were in the sky. Sandtail could hear the StarClan cats calling to her, welcoming her.

"Press your nose against the stone," Moonmask meowed.

Sandtail did as she was told. It was cold, and Sandtail found herself blinking her eyes open in an unfamiliar territory. No. She _knew_ this place. It was _StarClan._ Cats filled around the edges of the clearing, stars gleaming in their fur.

A gray and white she cat with stunningly beautiful green eyes came forward, the stars in her fur looked like shining snow, and her eyes glowed like moons.

"Deafleaf," Sandtail whispered.

"With this life I give you courage," Deafleaf purred. "Use it to defend your clan in even the fiercest battle."

Sandtail felt as if she was fighting a _million_ battles at once, her muscles ached, and her mind burned trying to keep up with all of the paws and claws. A moment later, she was back in StarClan territory. Sandtail's head buzzed...

A gray tomcat replaced Deafleaf. It was Wolfcall.

"With this life I give you the gift of justice, to judge all of your clan fairly," The tomcat meowed, his blue eyes shining.

Again, Sandtail felt it as she was given her next life. _I don't think I'll make it through many more of these..._

The next cat was Frostwhisker, giving her the life of loyalty to what _she_ knows to be right. After that, Ferretleg gave her the gift of tireless energy, to serve her clan to the upmost. Speckleleaf gave her the life of mentoring, to train the young of the clan. The next cat was Rabbitstar, the leader before Acornstar, who gave Sandtail the life with the desire to protect her clan as a mother cat protects her kits. Yellowflame gave Sandtail the gift of compassion. The next cat was Acornstar who gave her the gift of _love_, for he _was_ her kin.

The last cat, the giver of Sandtail's ninth life came forward. It was a sandy colored she cat with shining blue eyes.

"Sandtail, you have worked hard to serve your clan. You know who I am, right?"

"You... you're the first leader of SandClan, Sand!"

"Yes," Sand replied. "You were named after me. With this last life, I give you nobility, certainty and faith, so you will be able to lead you clan in the ways of the warrior code for all of your nine lives."

"Thank you."

"You are no longer Sandtail, young one, you are now Sand_star_. Lead your clan well, and never, _never_ forget to believe in StarClan, and to believe in _yourself_."

"Sandstar! Sandstar! Sandstar! Sandstar! Sandstar!" Her new name echoed throughout the clearing.

"Sand_star_," Sandstar whispered her new name. Then, louder, she meowed, "Thank you, StarClan. You have given me a great honor. I will _not_ let you down."

"We know," Acornstar meowed. "Now, return to your clan, Sandstar. Fulfill your dreams, and always remember your promises."

Sandstar nodded, and found herself waking up in the cave of the Shining Stone. Sunlight filtered in through the hole in the top of the cave. Moonmask woke up beside her.

"Sandstar," She meowed. "Congratulations. You are the new leader of SandClan."

"Yes," Sandstar meowed. "And now, to get back to my clan."

"Sandstar, shall we attack RavenClan?" Nightshadow asked.

It had been many moons since Sandtail had become Sandstar. Many things had happened, her kits and their friends had become warriors by the names of Honeytail, Crowwing, Leafwhisper, Snakefang, Lakeshine, Clifffoot, Shadownight, Mossfur, Sageleap, Finchfeather, Truthheart, Blazeclaw, Flowermist, Mistydawn and Mousefall. Smokepaw had turned against the clan, and as StarClan had said, the "love birds", then known as Finchpaw and Crowpaw, had stopped him. Smokepaw found out about being the kit of a medicine cat, and he ended up taking his own life. Also, cats had died since a while ago. Illuminatedpath, Aspenstorm, Blackfang, Yellowfur, Burningdawn, Whiteface, and Briarsong had all passed away. Some taken by disease, some by fighting, and others by simply _age_.

Now, as back then, SandClan was still threatened by RavenClan, who constantly pushed at their borders, keeping them alert.

"Yes," Sandstar meowed. "I will lead the patrol. No kits or elders shall be harmed, and we shall use _words_ in the beginning. Only if it is necessary, _then_ we will use claws and teeth. Understand?" _I have such a good, loyal clan._ Every cat nodded.

"Okay then, let's go!"

Sandstar led her clan for many, _many_ more moons, before growing old. She trained the next leader herself, a young cat named Flamespirit. From the moment he became a warrior, she _knew_ that he would make a good leader. Nightshadow passed away, and on her deathbed, she told Sandstar to choose Flamespirit. As Sandstar passed away, she knew that Flamestar would protect her clan as much as she did, and that her clan would get many, _many_ moons of peace.

* * *

**And... that's the end!  
Now, importantly, I would like to thank all of my reviewers for reviewing on my story. Thank you to...  
Shmancy-Fancy-Kitten  
RoseWing-chan  
jazzie101  
I love this story  
Blazestorm of WindClan  
Ambercloud of SkyClan  
Whitestar17  
sadiekane1221  
Talonleap234  
AGymnast  
Ebmerstorm of SkyClan  
Tigerfur  
Lifepaw  
Heatherstone  
bite me  
thatgirlwithwings  
A Proud Warrior Cats Fan  
spottedtalon  
Divya Kaushal  
ISolemnlySwear-MischiefManaged  
Falconstar leader of Mountainc (Clan?)  
Sunfeather  
S. Elise  
Ivyfrost-from-Shadowclan  
Raymon  
Sunfeather15666  
A CAT  
A Person Without An Account  
Yellowtail555  
skyfoot21**

**and... I Am The OverLord. OverLord helped me throughout the story, read, revised, and has always been a great sister to me!**

**Thank you to EVERYONE!**


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